Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-25
CAUSES OF INSANITY.

= INSANITY, both in the United States and In
Canada, constitutes an increasing menace to
national welfare. OF this there can be no
uoubt, in view of authoritative statistics regard
ing the necessity for spending an ever greater
sum of public money every year for the care OF
the insane.
On the other hand, in both countries there are
many people who needlessy live under cloud OF
fear that they are doomed to become insane
Numerous are the letters l have received indi
eating the extent and pognancy of this morbid
unreasoning dread of insanity.
To give reinsurance to the fear-at1icted, and
in the hope of contributing somewhat to check
the increase in insanity, let me sum up briefly the
latest findings of science with regard to the actual
causes of mental wreckage.
And first, it is to be said that while heredity
undoubtedly plays part in causing INSANITY that
suppose.
person having a father mother or other
near relative who is insane will not become insane
simply because there is insanity In MS family
history.
But the chances are that he will have inherited
a greater liability than other persons to fall a
victim to mental disease if he expose himself TO
any of the recognized exciting causes of insanity
Among these exciting causes foremost place
must be given to the excessive use OF alcohol
Fully 80 per cent of the men and 10 per cent
of the women admitted to the state hospitals for
the insane" to quote from pamphlet issued by
the State Charities Aid association of New York
City, ARE suffering from conditions due olrecIly
or indirectly to alcohol"
Alcohol, through its action on brain tissue, can
undermine any persons mental power 1t IS par
ticuarly liable to do this in the case OF persons
predsposed to insanity by reason OF their mercury
Another leading of insanity is immoral
living The worst of all forms of insanity, paress'
or "softening of the BRAIN is directly due 10
gradual destruction of the brain by disease-germ
usually contracted as a result of immoral living
1t has been estimated that, in the case or men
Is per cent of all insanity and per cent in the
case of women is thus caused.
The germs of other Observation-Disclosures IN
huenza etc.-sometmes also cause insanity Dy
their toxic action on the brain But the proportion
of insanity thus caused is small.
Alcohol and syphilis-these are the two major
physical causes of insanity according to the best
authorities.
Then there psychic causes, the principal
of which is worry. Let person of psychopathic
pedigree indulge habitually in worry and he is
always in danger of a serious mental breakdown.
Insanity for that matter, may attack ANYBODY
who falls into such unhealthy habits as broodlng
over real or fancied wrongs, giving way to emo
tiona excitement at slight provocation, or allow
ing himself herself to grow resentful and sus-
picious.
But even the psychopathicaly inclined can
avoid insanity if they avoid worry and these otner
faulty mental habits. 49,
In short, matter what persons heredlty,
the danger of his becoming insane is slight II he
cutivates emotional control, keeps away from
alcohol and leads a morally clean life
Copyright, 1916, by The Associated Newspapers