New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-12
MANY TEST NORMAL|TY
Conference on Mental Hygiene
Crowds City College.
ADULTS FOLLOW CHILDREN
Social Service and Nursing
Subjects of Discussion in
the Evening.

While psychology and mental hygiene
continued their advance into popular In
terest yesterday at the conference on
mental hygiene at the City College the
exhibit became a star attraction through
a demonstration of the Binet-Simon and
| other tests OF the mental state Of chill
I Gren and adults.
All during the afternoon. while the de-
monstratons lasted. an apparently fasci-
mated crowd surrounded DR.. f. A. Doll,
Of the training school at Vineland ~ j.,
who applied the various psychological
tests to children. And throughout the
evening adults swarmed around the novel
apparatus and many tried the tasks that.
are used to gauge the individuals mental
and nervous equation.
! The display OF the apparatus reminded
/ one Of combination between an OPP
! tician's eye-testing outfit and a counter
| full of toys, from the simplest mechanical
variety 10 some very complicated elcc-
trical machinery.
| Fer each age of the child certain stand
ard tasks have been declared as indicating
mental normality. and DIR. Doty let the
| little ones that were brought to him pass
| through the many tricks From being able
to discern shapes and colors of objects TO
! the ability of answering correctly certain
questions. the children were led on
| through the tests. No prodigy was dis
covered yesterday, but little Donald
Grant not fully seven years old, passed
easily all the tests prescribed for an eight
year-old boy OF normal development
| With the departure Of the children the
| adults took up the tests, and little APP
! paratus for the demonstration Of the
| stcadiness Of ones hand and ones powers
! Of coordination. With a long needle
| each tried TO hit the little holes in a
| specially arranged little board, the open
| ings narrowing down gradually, and
| whenever the needle failed in It's direction
! and touched the sides OF the hole there
came the betraying buzz OF the electric
current.
When the evening session opened It was
found that the email hall set apart for the
meeting was inadequate for the attend.
! ance. and the large hall OF the City COL
| lege had to be opened for the reading Of
papers and addresses
The session was arranged as a meeting
Tor nurses and the part OF the nurse
and Of the social worker in dealing with
mental diseases was the chief topic OF
the evening. Dr. William Mabon. medical
director OF the Manhattan State Hospital.
presided
Dr. NJ $. Gregory, resident alienist Of
Bellevue Hospital. read paper on 80
cial Service In Preventing Mental Break
down" He said that it was obvious that
the physician alone could not undertake
work Of such magnitude as that
OF asccrtainlng the factors which placed
the patient out OF harmony with his en-
vlronment, and either by removing the OBJ
staclcs or modifying them 20 assist the
patient In regainng his mental equillb-
rum.
The function Of the social work was 10
aid the physician in the analysis Of his
patient by obtaining correct information
which was beyond his reach, and by car
rylug the treatment from the consultation
room TO the home Of the patient.
DR. Gregory cited Instances Of cures
wrought with the aid Of social workers
who were able to go into the homes OF
the patients and remove the causes OF
mental disturbance
Though many cases Of mental trouble
belonged properly 20 a state hospital for
some classes OF mental diseases hospital
treatment was not the best kind OF treat
ment. DR. Gregory said.
These patients became institutional
lied" he said, and the quiet routine life
Of the hospital tended to the development
Of unhealthy mental and physical habits.
and as life IN an Institution was 40 differ
ent from that In the outside world. pa
| tients were unable 20 adjust themselves
after their discharge from the hospital
II would be more logical and profitable.
| he said. to treat such patients under nor
NAL and natural surroundings at home.
! He suggested n tentative plan for the
| extension OF social work In this direction.
! SociaI service centres ought 10 be estab-
ushed in various parts OF the city and
| should be in organic relation with the
social service department OF the hospital.
! Patients discharged from psychopathic,
alcoholic and other wards should be re-
| ferred with their hospital record to the
! branch nearest their homes. and In this
| manner should receive the attention they
| needed
| Miss Adele S. Poston superintendent OF
nurses at Bloomingdale Hospital, read
uaper ON nursing In mental disorders. and
| Miss Katharine Tucker OF the commit
tee on mental hygiene OF the State Chari-
ties Aid Association. spoke on nurses
cooperation with mental hygiene work
! Miss Tucker said that nursing In state
hospitals was not what she would Wish IL
| 10 be, and that there was great need OF
attracting toward the nursing OF mental
diseases as good type as was entering
| the profession OF nursing The trouble
was. she said. that the old superstitious
feeling toward the insane seemed to
Inner among many people.
The conference and exhibit Will be con-
| tlnued to-day.