Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1912-11-22
OUTDOOR WORKA
HELP TO INSANE
EMPLOYMENT BEING ADOPTED
AS A CURE FOR THE MEN.
TALLY WEAK.
PATIENTS DEMAND EXERCISE
ono" Willingness to Aid In the
Growing Of crops-Workren
Enjoy Good Health
IS Rule.

Everybody works at our house
may shortly be the motto of all tn
hospitals for the insane In Americ,
The insane like to work, and Who'll,
some labor and recreation are bes
for them. The farm superintendent
In one of the Missouri hospital
knocks at the door of one of tn
wards and tells the attendant Il
charge that he needs three more me-
TO help him with his growing crops
Every patient on the ward offers hi
services, and pleads in support tha
he knows something about farming
Probably none of them Is a capabl,
workman, but the reason for their re
quest to be let go is not hard to see
The workingmen in every insane hos
pital In the country are known to bC
the best behaved of all the patients
They sleep best and eat most heartily
Even a diseased mind Graves preoccu
patton. At Yankton, South Dakota
hospital buildings are being erected
by the prospective occupants. The
value OF employment as cure OF In.
sanity, and our belated discovery of
1t, proves that ones "job" is about the
last thing he forgets.
In the so-called "lunatic asylum" of
former days dragpushing was about
the only form of employment given
patients, with the exception of the
few TRUSTEES" who were employed at
housework. But with the new move.
ment for employment of the insane as
curative treatment pushing floor pol.
ishers Is rated as the lowest grade Of
occupation. Perhaps a fourth of the
population of the ordinary insane hos
pital at the present time are given
this form of exercise, and about
fourth more are employed in other
ways. But in the most up-to.date In.
stitutions two-thirds or three-fourths
OF the inmates are assigned definite
tasks to perform as a means of i'm.
proving their mental and physica!
condition. In the Missouri hospitals
his work includes, for the men, farm,
iairy and poultry work, and vegetable
picking, caring for the lawn, working
n the laundry, mattress making, and
raried lines of more or less skilled
abor; for the women, laundry work.
fancy work, dining room SER
'ice and general housekeeping. The
'atients are ordinarily supervised In
heir work by the attendants, who
hus appear as their leaders. The
aying to the state in the maintenance
Il these institutions in the form of
arm products, manufacture of cloth.
ng, household service, ETC., amounts
0 thousands of dollars annually. \
But the chief value of employment
I the insane Is seen In its curative
fleets It is as though the farm su.
erintendent should say to the pa.
ents on the ward: Either spend to.
ay working in the open air, or take
lis dose of medicine which the phy-
clan has prescribed for quieting your
eryes." The opinions of leading
ienists of the United States uniform
indicate that recreation and en-
oyment constitute the best single
cans known for the cure of dis
lsed minds. Two years ago the Sec
'tary of the Missouri State Board of
harities and Corrections and the su.
'rintendent Of one of the Missouri
'spitals visited the leading hospitals
the Eastern States In order that
% best system Of industries and
creation might be installed In the
stitutions OF this state. The East
n hospitals were found to be veri-
BILE hives Of activity. An enumera.
IN OF the products of these indus
al plants would include everything ,
,m ordinary articles of eonsump- !
IN. such as brooms and shoes, to
I ware of various sorts. such as ,
ass and raffia work and Navajo )
gs. In some hospitals kindergar-
rs are conducted, for the wasted +,
nd Of an adult insane person is fire. /
emily like that OF q child. In one !
'titution school of music and let !,
8 was found. Instructions In gym. !
stun and folk dancing and in out :
or games is common. At one hos !
al a merry-so-round has been !.
lght for the amusement of the pa :
nts. As regards occupations, the !,
max Of the new movement Is TO =
seen at the state hospital at East :,
rdner, Massachusetts,, where col !
7 is being laid out and improved on !,
90 acres OF rough hill land, ana :,
ere the click OF looms and whir OF :,
er machinery makes the place look :,
small industrial town.. =