The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-09
ALABAMA SOCIETY
 OF MENTAL HYGIENE ELECTS OFFICERS
Dr. c. A. Brown of Central High School Succeeds Con- gressman AbercrOmbie
 as President

Dr. Charles A. Brown, principal of the Central High school of Birmingham, was elected president of the Alabama Society of Mental Hygiene at a meet ing at the Tutwiler yesterday. He suc-
 ceeds Congressman John w. Abercrom- bic of Anniston, who has been the head
 of the society since it's organization
 superintendent of the Alabama Bryce hospital at Tuscaloosa, was reelected secretary and treasurer. Other off, cers elected were Mrs. R. DuPont Thompson of Birmingham, first vice president; Mrs. L. M. Bashinsky of Troy, second vice president; Mrs. R. D. Faucett of Prattville, third vice president
 At the session last night Dr. Thomas
 W. Salmon of New York. medical di-
 rector of the national committee of
 mental hygiene. delivered an able ad-
 dress on Feeble mindedness." pr. Sal. | mon, who Is one of the ablest au- thorities on mental diseases in Amer ica, outlined the various causes con- 1 tributing to the prevalence of this dis l ease, which claims three out of every one thousand persons in the country. The problems confronting the care of
 these Predetermined persons and the ! best methods of dealing with the ques. 1 tion were discussed by the speaker. He
 advocated that a survey be made on l conditions in Alabama and urged that
 an institution separate and apart from the insane hospital be provided for
 their care.
 HASTINGS REVIEWS WORK
 George A. Hastings of New York,
 secretary of the Charities Aid associa-
 tion of New York state. reviewed the
 work and the accomplishments of the
 Society for Mental Hygiene in New York and outlined many important du-
 ties confronting this organization in Alabama.
 | Dr. Charles A. Brown presided at
 both the afternoon and night sessions I of the meeting. Dr. w. D. Partlow made
 brief address in which he outlined
 the purposes of the organization and
 the work which it proposes to do in
 Alabama.
 | Following election of officers at the
 afternoon meeting, the various stand
 ing committees made their reports on
 the work done during the past year,
 and the plans for enlarging the scope l of the organization during the coming year. A resolution was introduced and
 unanimously adopted favoring the pro- posed federal enactment to establish a
 division of mental hygiene in the Uni-
 ted States public health service and
 calling on the senators and congress-
 men from Alabama to use their efforts
 to have the law passed at the earliest possible moment.
 l PLEASED WITH SUCCESS 1 The meeting was attended by about 100 prominent citizens, physicians and alienists from different parts of the lstate and the officers of the society
 were highly pleased with the success of the gathering. "The society has only been in existence one year, but we have | made much progress" said pr. W. D. Partlow last night. ''The people of the country are just beginning to realize the supreme importance of combating the rapid increase in mental diseases in this country. It Is easy enough to arouse the public to the danger of some contagious disease, but it has been difficult task to create interest in the mental diseases. The outlook for the future of tho organization is very bright and there is certainly a great Work to be dono along these lines in Alabama"
 Among the prominent visitors at the
 meeting were Dr. J. T. Searcy super
 intendent of the Alabama Bryce hos
 pital; Dr. George H. Denny, president of the University of Alabama; Dr. c. c. Thach, president of Auburn; Dr. E. D. Bondurant. dean of the Medical col lege at Mobile: Dr. W. w. Harper of
 Selma, s. s. Murphy, superintendent of
 Mobile schools; Senator J. T. Denson of Eutaw. Dr. J. Y. Graham of the | university, Dr. George H. searcy of
 Tuscaloosa. L. N. Duncan of Auburn, Col. R. A. Mitchell of Gadsden, Mrs. L.
 M. Bashinsky of Troy. Mrs. R. D. Fau-
 others.