Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-22
TREATING OF MENTAL DISEASES WITH WATER AND LIGHT
Aumds Principles Being lat a V HmlMwM Arns

Will ultra-colored lights and scien
tifically temperatured water, correctl.
handled, supercede the highly med:
Gated treatment of dementia, tuberc1
losis and the other diseases with whic
psychological experts are daily bal
thing?
The advocates of the electric thera
peutics and of hydropathy contend il
the Affirmative. 1t is question ais;
that the state of Illinois has spent up
wards of $150,000 to solve. 1t is I;
question entirely in the experiments
stage, as yet, and one which has tn
moral support of the physicians anC
scientists engaged in the movement
in company with Governor Charles S
Denaen, for the betterment of the
eleemosynary institutions of the com
monwealth.
First Work Brings Change.
The first work along the lines OF
hydropathy was inaugurated at 9TH,
western Illinois hospital for the insane
at Watertown about five years aSG
when the so called water cure" re
ceived its premiere. AT that time th5
facilities were most meagre. the none,
for experimental work lacking, those
in charge of the work handicapped b!
inexperience and the general belief ~
the theory very small. The results OBJ
tanned during the following two years
however, were satisfactory. entirely so
and after DR.. Billings of Chicago, pres
ident of the state charitable board
Governor Deneen and DR.. w. E. Tay
Tor. superintendent of the Waterfowl
hospital, had recommended an exten
sion of the work an appropriation al
lowing somewhere near ttS required
facilities was passed by the Illinol:
general assembly
TIE first move undertaken for q
thorough trial of the new theories was
the erection of palacial new hospita
building. The highest authorities OF
the various equipment contemplated
were consulted and absolutely no eff0r
or expense was spared by Dr. Taylor
to make the building one of the fines
in the United States if not in the en-
tire world. The hospital is a veritable
palacefand its appointments and acces
series to the obtaining of the highes
possible results in the hydrothera
pedtic practice.
Diagnosis IN Most Exact.
Under the new treatment the dia2
nosing of the condition of each pattern
is one of the most exacting duties dc
manded of each of the four specially
trained physicians maintained in the
building. Every possible phase of the
condition of each patient is examined
with the minutest detail and attention
Exceeding care is taken to observt
what each afflicted one does or say.
during his or her first days at tn,
institution. Unless violent the patien
is allowed to make a statement as Z
conditions upon his or her own &C
count. Every word is taken down by
stenographer and notes are also mad,
on the general and particular appear
ance of the one under examination a
to how he or she acts in speaking O
the case and of the general or specia
degree of sanity or insanity demon
strated. Each is next allowed to roam
more or less to his or her own inclina
ton, being carefully watched, how
ever. and each symptom being care
fully noted. A most rigid physical es
animation is then administered, tn
entire body being subjected to a care
ful investigation for any and every di-
ease whatsoever. With this data il
Eand the physicians then study eac
case separately and, after the dias
nosis, prescribe how every hour of tn
day is to be spent, what medical ele,
trio or water treatment is needed an
instructions for each case careful
written out that possible mistakes ma
be avoided, each case differing in d,