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

ks&&SAAvs AASs SoJ oVs NOWo auO
sheep have been driven from q To-
acre pasture here. and men. under
supervision OF an expert. are lay.
ing out . nine-hole solf course.
This golf course 10 not for doctors
and attendants employed in the asy.
lum.s It's for patients.
DR.. II. J. 0ahasan. superintendent
Of tho tnstitution. has hit upon golf
a. . cure for insanity.
Pstisnts OF every type win be
taught TO play.
The idea u part Of . new theory
In the handling Of insanity eases.
the theory being that outdoor life
will work wonders where eonnne-
ment simply makes cases OF dsmsn.
tia more aggravated.
All methods OF restraint IN the
handling OF patients. even those Of
the acuteiy disturbed class have
been abolished At the Elgin asylum.
Cure by kindness IL the basis Of the
new method.
SO tennis raquets. golf sticks.
baseball bats and croQuet mallets
ere taking the place Of straight jack.
cts. handcuns and solitary connne-
ment rooms. Tennis and croQuets
courts and q baseball diamond have
already been laid out Patients are
using them. Or. Gahagan says the
behavior OF patients - so per cent
better than when the men and wo-
men--there are 2,o45 At the asylum
are confined behind barred win.
dows.
"Inssne persons are q good deal
like children" Or. Gshagan told me.
They will tight for the things
are denied them. But X these
things are not denied them, they
stop fighting.
Under the old system patients
OF the acutely disturbed class were
placed In straight Jackets or In soil
tsry confinement Some were fast
ened 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 . bench.
under the old system OF treatment.
lie pulled and tnsged trying TO set
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 HE
brain. All this has been done away
with.
"A woman patient may tear her
clothes. We DO not restrain her by
|tteing her hands. II she tears one
dress nurses put another on her. II
she tears that another In put on her.
Finally, when she realizes no one
cares II she tears her clothes. she
stops.
Il think gold Is going to be q
great curative. 10 will be better
than tennis or crooue., for In those
games the player Is 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 viii
divert his mind, and that's import
ant.
Golf will be a stimulant to the
depressed. melsncholic patient and q
sedative to the acutely disturbed.
ut will serve as q cure In durable
cases and will lengthen the lie OF
incuratle patients.
THE walk over the course, I.
breathing of fresh air and other ex-
erctse attendant to the game viii
give patients better appetites. help
work on poisons that naturally &C.
crue from a diseased brain and pro-
mote 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 . building.
~I'll tell you Just how strong am
for this new system: ] expect, In
time, to take the bars Oh every
window In the institution. / have
already taken the bars on one build
irx. The effect win b psychology
cal. II there In nothing there to re-
mind A patient OF the fact that he Is
held IN. there will not be the tempt
alton 20 Jump.
Liberal treatment Is sivins us
many cures. Golf will give more.
Walsh Has All