The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-16
KINDS OF
SANITY NOW EXIST,
SAY SCIENTISTS
Average Man Most Largely
Represented in Order of
Brain" and Comes
First

The normal man Is by no means .
fixed quantity or quality. The scientists
show us that there are many degrees OF
sanity. and that the abnormal may run
above or below what we call the ordi-
nary men and women.
For the purpose OF study no less than
II "Orders of Brain have been laid down,
and every one of us belongs to one OF
these classes.
The largest class of all Is the average
man, constituting four-fifths of the pop
ulation. in round figures some 100000
of the 92,0o0.0o0 population of the United
States in 1910, when the last census was
taken. In this class are the laborers tho
traders manufacturers. the great middle
class, which Is the mental, moral and
physical backbone of the community, for
ii Is always normal. never loses Its sense
of perspective. and while conservative.
is safe II progresses slowly. but steadily
but 1t does progress and its voice Is al
ways right. or as We put IL. The voice
of the people is the voice Of God" Espe-
cially in the United States do we be-
lleve in the common people and Europe
has arrived at the same conclusion. says
the New York World
The next order of men are those show
ing marked talent in every direction, and
there are probably 100000 of these in
the United States. They "have more
brains" we say, and they show them by
greater initiative and keener insight. To
this class belongs the social and political
| leaders, the professors the heads of large
concerns great executive heads.
Lesser Genius Is Third
| Then comes the lesser genius, probably
! 100000 in the United States, who is full
| of originality and ideas, often impracti-
cable, but really supplying those of the
second order with the ideas out of which
| they make fortunes. He Ecorns these
| practical men and they return the COM
pliment. but help themselves to his ideas.
The real genius comes next, and these
| are possibly one out of a million-ths
| Edisons, Bells. Westinghouse. He Is at
the top of the scale of mentality. and Is
altogether inexplicable. But he stands
supreme.
We now go down the scale and find
class equal In number to the lesser gen.
! ius, probably 100000, which Includes the
cranks, the markedly eccentric, even the
anarchist. He is just verging upon the
| irresponsible, for. while considered liable
/ by tho law, no permits his ideas to run
away with him, and often comes under
| condemnation by the law. This class are
| unconventional. n trial to their friends
and may do either good or harm, as con-
| ditions permit.
The sixth order of mind is a large one,
| Here are probably eight million of our
| citizens, men and women, pelow the av-
| erage in> intellect and viii power. Under
| the best conditions they may be redeemed
and become useful members of society.
| but left to themselves. as Is usually the
! case, they recruit tho ranks OF the
| tramps, the paupers and even drift into
the lower criminal class. The men and
women of this order actually need hui
man help and suggestion, and with sym
pathy may be saved.
The next five classes are considered not
really sane before the law. but the un-
soundness Of mind in them Is graded, al
| though the law does not always act In
accord with science In their treatment.
! There Is brain defect or brain disease In
! all of them.
Those belonging TO the seventh class
are men and women who have occasional
attacks OF mental unsoundness, but
with proper medical care can be saved
and brought into one of the higher classes.
| They may be clever and capable OF
doing good work between attacks, and
| when cured. There are at least 100000
of these in the United States. many be-
| longing to the poorer classes and there
| fore most liable not to receive proper
medical care.
The eighth class are much like the pre-
! ceding, but the mental trouble ia more
deep-seated, often hereditary. They ara
| frequently incurable. The scientists call
these cases 'adolescent insanity" There
are as many Ia this class as In the pre-
ceding, but they are not so hopeful. One
four hundredth of the population fall into
this order of defective brain.
Epiletptics Come Ninth
The ninth class are the epileptics, who
| are such from real disease of the brain
Many are able To work more or less be-
tween attacks, but at their worst they
are totally irresponsible and dangerous.
The congenitally weak-minded form the
next lower order of mind. numbering at
| least 260,o00 in the United States. They
may be able to do simple work, but really
require special care either In state or pri-
vate institutions. II seems pity, but ons
out of every $50 of the population falls in
this class. The lowest class OF mental
detectives Is that of the worst congenital
imbeciles and the idiots who are entirely
helpless. mindless and usually untrain-
able. They are a dead loss 20 society
and only a drag upon their unfortunate
relatives. Fortunately only about one In
every 100 belongs to this class, making
the total for the United States about
$1,000. although these figures are only ap-
proximate.
The law OF averages is remarkab bly,
proved in the classification of orders OF
mind, and If an Investigation is made
in any community it will be found that
one out of every hundred belongs to some
enc of the last five classes of irresponsible
human beings.
Science Is trying in every way 20 de-
crease this average by giving proper
treatment to the savable ard by prevent
ing the MULTIPLICATION of other detectives,
especially epileptics, known to transfer
| their defect to their progeny.
''Fram" Has Postoffice