The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-07-30
Heart Out White SoxCan They Wrench Into Red Sox Mal
Golf and Croquet Are New Insanity in Illinois Asylum
Baseball and Tennis Listed Among New Prescription
Superintendent S avs
Idea IL Humdinger
and Tells Why

ElGlN. Ill, July 30.-Cows and
sheep have been driven from q Is.
acre pasture here. and mon. under
supervision OF an expert. are lay.
ing out . nine-hole golf course.
This golf course 10 not for doctors
and attendants employed In the asy.
lum. It's for patients.
DR.. II. J. Gahagsn. superintendent
OF the institution. has hit upon golf
as a cure for insanity.
Patients of every type win be
taught to play.
The idea II part Of new theory
In the handling OF insanity cases.
the theory being that outdoor life
will work wonders where connne-
ment simply makes cases Of demen.
tia more aggravated.
All methods Of restraint In the
handling OF patients, even those OF
the acutely disturbed class have
been abolished 1t the Elsin asylum.
Cure by kindness IL the basis Of the
new method.
So tennis raQuets. golf sticks.
baseball bats and croQuet mAllets
are taking the place OF straight Jack
cts. handouts and solitary connns-
ment rooms. Tennis and croQuets
courts and q baseball diamond have
already been laid out. Patients are
using them. DR.. Gahagan says the
behavior OF patients u so per cent
better than when the men and wo-
men--there are 2,045 At the asylum
are confined behind barred win
dows.
Insane persons are Q good deal
like children" Or. Gahagan told me.
They will night for the things =
are denied them. But II these
things are not denied them, they
stop fighting.
Under the old system patients
OF the acutely disturbed class we're
placed In straight jackets or In soli-
tsry confinement Some were fast
eped to benches 90 they could not
move hands or feet. Now we handle
these cases by putting the patients
in cold and warm packs or In cold
or warm water baths. That treat.
ment soothes.
When a patient who had been I'M
ruly had been fastened to q bench.
under the old system Of treatment,
lie pulled and tugged trying to get
free. He wore himself out. Even
then his mind was set on freedom
and he kept saying to himself: IN
get out OF this yet That wearied HE
brain. All this has been done away
with
"A woman patient may tear her
clothes. We do not restrain her by
eielHs-her hands. II she tears one
dress nurses put another on her. II
she tears that another Ia put on her.
Finally. when she realizes no one
cares II she tears her clothes. she
stops.
II think gold lie going to be a
great curative. II will be better
than tennis or croque.. for In those
games the player Ii confined to the
court. At golf there will be IS
acres of beautiful scenery over
which the patient may roam. Bat
ting the ball around the course will
divert his mind, and that's import
ant.
Golf will be a stimulant to the
depressed, melancholic patient and
sedative to the acutely disturbed.
TT will serve as cure In durable
cases and will lengthen the life OF
incuratle patients.
The walk over the course, TIA
breathing of fresh air and other en-
ercise attendant to the game Will
give patients better appetites. help
work on poisons that naturally &C
crue from a diseased brain and pro-
note sleep.
"Of course. patients on the golf
course will be attended, but Just
think of the effect Of being allowed
to stroll In the fresh air over beau
tiful plot OF ground. compared to
being cooped up In q building.
"I1i tell you Just how strong am
for this new system: ! expect. IN
time, to take the bars on every
window in the institution. ] have
already taken the bars on one build
irg. The effect will DO psychology
cal. n there Is nothing there to re-
mind patient Of the fact that he is
held IN, there will not be the tempt
alton 10 Jump.
Liberal treatment II giving us
many cures. Golf will give more.
Walsh Has All