The Washington herald., 1909-03-25
MENTAL HYGIENE.
Mrs. Cushing, OF Boston, Here Il
Interest OF the Society.

Anterest or the society.
I Mrs. Herbert Gushing. Of Boston. IS in
Washington IN the interest OF the Ma
tional Society for Mental Hygiene. re-
Gently formed. and will go farther South
% meet the ladies' clubs and tell them OF
this humane work. From the National
Society for Mental Hygiene it is proposed
TO form branches IN every state. Already
that for Connecticut is organized and do
ing helpful work
The call Of the hour IS not alone
from the blind or the sufferers from the
great white plague, says a leader IN
this movement, but il Is also from the
( brOken-hearted in our hospitals for the
insane II echoes from the millions OF
overworked nervous systems OF our alert
intense population who do not know the
Importance Of mental hygiene in prevent
Ing a collapse OF their mental powers
II is a subject vital 20 all-rieh and poor
and Il Is just that Il be called a call of
the hour No form OF human suffering
can be more far-reaching than this trag-
edy which parts the tenderest ties. break ks
up the home, and always leaves sorrow
and grief IN its wake. II IS one from
which no one OF US Is immune, and in
these days Of progress in medical science
great strides have been taken IN the
treatment and prevention OF mental dis
ease and the nervous conditions related
thereto. A certain morbid fear and dread
OF Insanity has kept the study OF the
problem almost entirely in the hands OF
the specialists in mental OF nervous dis
eases
The object OF the Society for Mental
Hygiene 10 simply told Il is this:
l. The chief object Of the Society Of Mental
Hygiene shall be 70 work Cor the protection of the
mental health ot the public and to raise the sand
Gris Of care for those III Threatened By mental
disease
. Il shan bs the aim Of the Society FOR Mental
Hygis1e 70 becuEe permanent ags1cy for the edu-
cztion and reform inthe fed OF mental and nervous
diseases
may seen diseouREng. but divided into manageable
elements it becomes susceptible Of solution
The national. or parent. society has on
its list OF officers and members the most
prominent educators IN the country, in
eluding the presidents OF many OF the
first universities, including President
James B. Angeu Of the University of
Michigan President Judson, Of the Uni
versity OF Chicago; President Jordan, OF
the Leland Stanford Junior University;
President N0rthrop. Of the University OF
Minnesota: President Schurman, OF Cornell
University; President Wheeler. OF the
University Of California; President Had
ley. OF Yale University; President Faunce.
Of Brown University, and President Al
dermsn. OF the University OF Virginia
Many Of the most prominent physicians
and professors, as well as philanthrspic
laymen. have their distinguished names
on the list OF members. Surgeon General
Walter Wyman. Of Washington. OF the
United States Public Health Service. and
Clifford PinchOt are local names Of promi-
nence who are on the list OF directors OF
the national committee. President Edwin
A. Alderman. Of the University Of Vir-
ginia, is also among these. Clergymen
include Cardinal Gibbons. Rev. Henry
Van Dyke. Rev. Arson Phelps Stokes.
who lend their names. sympathy, and ef-
fort TO this cause. The public interest Is
growing and the gospel is being preached
over the length and breadth OF the coun-
try.