Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-09-02
GOLF AS CURE FOR
INSANE PATIENTS
Illinois Hospital Says Outdoor
Life Is GREATEST Need.
KEEPS THE MIND DIVERTED

Golf Clubs, Tennis Rackets, Baseball
Bats and croquet Mallets Take the
Places of Straitjackets and Solitary
Confinement CeIis-Great Results Are
Expected From the New Ideas.
Cows and sheep have been driven
from a seventy-f1ve acre pasture in FL
gin, ILL.,, and men, under supervision
Of an expert, are laying out a nine
hole golf course for the Illinois State
Hospital For the Insane.
This golf course is not for doctors
and attendants employed in the asyl-
lum. It's for patients.
DR.. III. ]. Gahagan, superintendent
Of the hospital has hit upon golf as
cure for insanity. Patients Of every
type will be taught to play.
The idea is part of new theory In
the. handling of insanity cases. the
theory being that outdoor life will
work wonders where confinement sim
ply makes cases Of dementia more ag-
gravated.
All methods Of restraint in the han
ding of patients, even those of the
acutely, disturbed class, have been
abolished at the Elgin asylum. Cure
by Kindness is the basis Of the new
method.
Throw Straitjaeket Away.
So tennis rackets, golf sticks. base
ball bats and croquet maIlets are TAX
ing the place of straitjackets, hand
cuffs and solitary confinement rooms.
Tennis and croquet courts and base
ball diamond have already been laid
out. Patients are using them. DR..
Gahagan says the behavior Of patients
is 80 per cent better than when the
men and women-there are 2,045 at the
asylum-are confined behind barred
windows.
Insane persons are good deal like
children DR.. Gahagan said. "They
will fight for the things that are de-
MED them. But if these things are not
denied them they stop fighting.
''Under the old system patients Of
the acutely disturbed class were placed
in straitjackets or in solitary conf1ne-
ment. Some were fastened to benches
so 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
treatment soothes.
when a patient who had been un-
ruly had been fastened to a bench, un-
der the old system Of treatment. he
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, I'll get out Of this
yet That wearied his brain. All this |
has been done away with.
ga woman patient may tear her
clothes. We do not restrain her by
tying her hands. If she tears one dress
nurses put another on her. If she
tears that another is put on her. Final
ly, when she realizes no one cares If
she tears her clothes, she stops.
Golf a Great Curative.
81 think golf is going to be great
curative. 1t viii be better than tennis
or croquet, for In those games the play
er is confined to the court. At golf
there will be seventy-five acres Of beau
ttful scenery over which the patient
may roam. Batting the ball around
the course will divert his mind, and
that's important.
Golf will be a stimulant to the de-
pressed, melancholic patient and a |
sedative to the acutely disturbed.
ut will serve as cure In durable !
cases and will lengthen the lives Of in |
durable patients.
1.-The walk over the course, the
breathing OF fresh air and other exer-
else attendant on the game VIII give
patients better appetites, help work
off poisons that naturally accrue from
q diseased brain and promote 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 a beautiful plot of
ground compared to being cooped up
In building.
"1'n tell you just how strong l am
for this new SYSTEM expect in time
to take the bars of every window in
the institution. have already taken
the bars off one building. The effect
will be psychological. If there Is moth
ing to remind patient of the fact that
he is held in, there will not be the temp
tation to jump.
Liberal treatment is giving us many
cures, Golf will give us more"