The Washington herald., 1914-08-02
.COPP DESCRIBES
suicide Clinic
Former Chief Probation Off
Ger Of Capital Now Has
Unique Institution.
HAS CURE FOR DESPAIR
Philadelphia Pastor Tells Of His Meth
DDS in Leading Despondent
Back to Hope.
BY EARLE F. DORSEY.

BY EARLE F. DORSEY.
Zed n. Copp, who was formerly chief
probation oficer Of the Juvenile Court
Of the District. but who is now pastor
Of the Cohocksink Presbyterian Church.
Of Philadelphia. is the superintendent
and chief surgeon" Of the only suicide
clinic" known to exist in the United
States
Mr.. copp is visiting friends in Wash
ington and to a Herald reporter. he gave
the story Of the success which led up TO
the formation Of his clinic" as well as
the methods employed to turn desperate
men and women from their determine
tion to end their lives. Mr.. Copp de-
clares that during the fifteen months
the clinic" has been in operation, as
a part of the work Of his church, he
has received applications for help from
sixty-seven would-be suicides and that
only one OF the entire number has at
tempted to end his life after receiving
treatment
Had Church Here.
Prior to accepting the pastorate Of
the Philadelphia church, Mr. Copp was
a fully-ordained Presbyterian minister
Of this city. with a mission church in
Georgetown About two years ago, he
resigned his position as probation oficer
Of the District Juvenile Court, leaving
behind him a splendid record OF work
Pastor Copp believes in extending the
social activities OF church work. as well
as preaching religion from the pulpit
and several months after going to PhiIa-
delphia he announced his plan OF a sui
eide clinic
He secured publicity for II through the
Philadelphia papers. and it was not long
before he began TO receive letters from
persons throughout the East. Nfiddls
West, and even as far away as the Pact
hc Coast
The method employed by Pastor Copp
Is cross between psychology and re-
ligion. He says the "down-and-outers'
or persons in destitute financial circuu-
stances scarcely ever come to him for
aid Most Of his patients. he declares. are
people of wealth and position. laboring
under terrible mental strain as the result
OF folly or crime
Uses "Psychoscope."
The "'psychoscope'' Is one OF the de-
vices used by the pastor in persuading
his patients that their ideas OF suicide
are all wrong. He places the patient in
a chair and causes him TO look al two
black circles drawn on a white back
ground. The patient is required to stare
intently at the two circIes for a period
Of eight minutes, when the circles are
suddenly Withdrawn from his vision and
a large piece of white cardboard set up
in its place.
This principle is well-known in optics.
and it results IN the circles. which the
patient has been studying intentIy. be-
Ing visualized on the bare, white card
board Mr.. Copp asks his patient If he
still sees the circles. and when the pa
tient says yes. Copp begins his treat
ment BY Illustrating how the circles he
sees are no more imaginary than the
trouble which is driving him toward SUI
eide.
Some cases, however. are not so easy
About two months ago. a woman called
up Mr.. Copp, telling him Of her troubles.
Barred Life Story.
He told her he would take the case.
on condition that she bare every Cart
Of her life-story The woman agreed
and started by saving that she was the
youngest daughter Of a New York stock
broker who had been ruined in a Wall
Street crash. and who had blown out his
brains to save himself from disgrace \
mother and two daughters were left
and the patient explained to Mr. COpp
that she had accepted employment as a
clerk in a brokerage Office at s. a week
Her sister was a cripple and her mother
was old. so the burden of the family fell
upon her. After that IL was the old
story Of an employer demanding she be
come his wife without the formality OF
ceremony, on condition that he sup
port her mother and sister.
She did this for three years and then
she met The Man. who proved to be
married by a ceremony. She loved the
stranger, however. and life without him
became unbearable for her. She de-
manded that the man she was living
with marry her. but when he consented
and had a ceremony performed. er case
was still more hopeless.
Love Totally Pure.
Mr.. Copp SAYS the woman was on the
point OF suicide when she came to him
for help. He explained that the love for
the stranger. which was, according to her
own story, the only love that had ever
come into her life, was a love that was
totally pure and that she should keep II
so. He soothed her and encouraged her
with the statement that her husband. be-
ing and elderly man, might die at any time
and leave her free. He says the woman
left his study regenerated in mind and
will: that she is now learning to be
happy with her lot. whereas she came to
him that afternoon on the brink Of self,
destruction.
Mr.. Copp also tells the story OF man
who came to him with the confession
that he had stolen money from his en-
ployer. owing to the extravagance Of his
family. Copp went to the employer. ex-
planned that the man was in deep trouble
and managed to secure for him a sub
stantial advance on his salary. which the
man used to make good his defalcation.
These are just few of the stories Corp
can tell OF the patients who come in their