Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-01
COLOR CURE FOR INSANE.
Progress in Treatment DEVELOPMENT
of Healthful Interests.
From the London Standard

rrVm the LONDON Standard-
The discussions in parliament on the
mental deficiency bill have drawn atten-
ton to the fact that during the past Gen.
fury there has been a constant series of
reforms for the better safeguarding and
the more humane treatment Of the in
sane.
We have not yet risen to the Mahomme-
dan idea that insanity is an inspiration
from the celestial regions. and do not.
therefore, initiate the Moslems and re-
gard lunatics with almost reverential
alteration; but instead of whipping them
and combining them in dungeons. as was
once the practice, we house them COM
fortably, call them patients" instead Of
inmates" entertain them as far as prac-
| ticable at dances. balls, sorees, dinner
and supper parties, and, where possible,
allow them to occupy their time in farm
ing and other healthy pursuits. Lantern
lectures are also given. card parties and
progressive whist tournaments are held.
while the outdoor sports include golf.
cricket and hockey, matches being ar
ranged occasionally between the married
| and single patients.
More recently, Also other healing fac
tors have been brought into play in the
treatment. Despairing, melancholy pa
tientS are placed in rooms where the
| walls, carpets and gas globes are Of red
Color, the easily eAcltdDie are placed In
rooms which are covered with blue
coloring, which seems to have a soothing
effect upon this type. Even a room in
which all the hangings were in black
proved to possess a healing effect upon
a woman afflicted with recurrent mania.
Music as means for coaxing the insane
into sanity has been adopted lately i'm
one of the American institutions. The
gramOphone. piano, violin and various
brass instruments have each In turn
sod 10 hoy inO fvnHt
various classes and types of patients. 1t
has also been ascertained by experiment
that many acute and chronic forms OF in
sanity can be treated with good results In
the open air.
One of the greatest difficulties expe-
rienced by asylum authorities Is to find
occupation for the male patients who
have no liking or aptitude for farm and
garden work. Some are able to occupy
themselves with ornamental glass work,
carpentry, etc. but the women are gen.
orally and naturally more fortunate In
being better able TO adapt themselves to
indoor occupations. The greatest danger
lies i'm the tendency toward permanent
weak mindedness (dementia), implying a
want of interest and initiative and a loss
of sense of the amenities of life.
Several of the institutions set apart for
the treatment of the insane publish peri
odicals at intervals, edited and conducted
by the patients though under the super
vision of the medical staff. which acts as
an editorial board. The credit for this
innovation is due to the Vermont Asy-
lum, in New York.
There has been a growing tendency OF
late years to do away as far as possible
with restraint i'm the treatment of i'm
sanity. Dr. Dollar. a well known Ameri-
can alenist. introduced four principles at
the Illinois Asylum for Incurable Dis
eases viz. ACCOMPLISHMENTS. non-re-
straint, non-resistance and eight hours
labor daily. Sir John luke, when in
command of the Fife District Asylum.
also abolished the use Of locked doors:
and Dr. Rutherford of Glasgow and Edin-
burgh unhesitatingiy sent patients to
work i'm the open air. even intrusting
them with the use of ordinary agricu-
tural implements.
1t is of interest to note that at the
James Murray Asylum no patients broke
their parole during the year and failed
to return to the institution in accordance
with their undertaking. although an aver
age of 30 out of 142 patients were in
trusted with their liberty for varying
periods Asylum patients Of the present
day are kept fully informed Of all OF i'm
portance that is passing in the outer
world.