Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-13
Institution is Inspected by the Mem.
bers Of the State Conference
of Charities.
DR.. MYERS is A SPEAKER
Baltimore Psychiatrist Gives Principal
Talk Of Entire Program on
Care of the Insane.

The Illinois state conference of char
tiles concluded its business this after
loon, the meeting being held at the
Watertown hospital The delegates
convened at the hospital at 10 O'Clock,
and were welcomed by the superin-
tendent, DR.. w. E. Taylor. Samuel
I. Metcalf discussed Politics in the
Appointment of Poor Farm Superin-
tendents," criticising this system and
showing the harmful results. He is
PRESIDENT OF the Illinois association
c' poor farm superintendent.
"Tramps in City and Country" was
discussed by James Mullenbach. su
rerintendent of the Chicago municipal
lodging house. Mrs. Mamie NJ. Dun
can. chairman of the committee on the
voluntary agency and the needy fam
.'y, made report showing the work
done in tie year, and outlining plans
for the future.
The business session was held his
'fternoon, following an Inspection of
me hospital, and dinner as the guests
Of DR.. Taylor. The delegates mani
tested particular interest in the new
psychophactic hospital, which has just
lnen completed. This institution Is
DC signed for the admin stering of the
hYdrotherapeutic treatment. the most
modern idea in the treatment of in
sanity and other diseases in the hos
pitals for the insane.
For Stricter Marriage Laws.
| At the business session this morning
DR.. Taylor of the WATERFOWL hospital
introduced a motion which he has had
before the conference for the last 10
years at each meeting, asking that q
committee be. appointed to ask the
state legislature to pass a more .strin-
gent marriage law, requiring both con-
tracing parties to submit to careful
physical examination before marriage
license is granted. The motion car
ried, and the committee will be ap-
pointed to wait on the legislature.
The conference voted to meet next
at Peoria one year hence.
| Last Address Here.
The conference came to a close as
far as this city is concerned at the
meeting last night at the First Metho-
dist church ard the principal address
If the entire conference was given by
DR.. Adolf Meyer. who is a professor
OF psychiatry at the John Hopkins
university and director of the clinic
N rsychiatry at the John Hopkins
hospital in Baltimore. DR.. Meyer was
formerly identified with the work of
the charitable institutions of this state.
His talk was very interesting and ex-
Aaustive on his subject, THE Prob
lem of the Public Care of the Insane"
Iir. Meyers career in the charitable
institutions OF the state began at
about the time that politics first made
itself felt in the management of these
institutions and he has marked the
steady progress made from the time
when this caused great fall in the
efficiency and standard of the insdtu-
lion until the present time when they
renk so high. but are still in need Of
lettering.
. Should Begin Early.
In his speech he told how the work
| u
gwen at as early a date as possible,
, that is, before the time where now
edays commitment is thought neces-
: sarry and that adequate provisions
must be made pending the transfer
to the specially organized hospitals.
''The hospitals must be properly Or
ganized with adequate treatment d.
: visions where it is possible to become
thoroughly acquainted with ali the
|, appearance into the ordinary observa-
/, ton wards for more lasting stay
$ and even in these wards for the sup
g posedly more chronic, standards must
a he maintained that provide for the
e l25 per cent or more of the recoverable
I cages whose disease lasts mora than
e a year.
Adequate provisions must also be
made to become thoroughly acquaint
, &c with the outside conditions under
which the disorder developed, and
with the pos sibilities of an adjust
/. nent before the patient returns, to
= gether with the extension Of such
It help as may be advantageous to the
n patient and to his friends on his re
$ turn from the hospital.
:. General organization of work mus
b., carried out in the locality accord
ing TO its needs, anong the variou.
TYPES of community, and not onl,
with regard to alcoholism and tn,
spreading of syphilis, but also witt
IS regard to healthy methods Of liYin,
IS generally also possibilities Of keepin,
Is the minds balanced with due shar
a Of recreation and rest and satisfa,
1t ton with the returns Of every da
toll"
The doctor advanced these propos
TINS as the solution of the problel
- of caring for the insane of the stat
's and in his belief If the work is o
~ ganized along the lines as laid dow
- great amount Of good will be dor
9 and improvements viii be easy
CONTINUED on rhss SKI ,