Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-20
INSANITY CASES
ARE DECREASING
EXPERT STATES
There Are No More miami
aCS" in Illinois, While the
Violent Insane Have Al
most Disappeared.

Springfield, H., Dec. 19.-There
are no more "maniacs' in Illinois
while the violent insane wards of
the state have almost disappeared,
according to A. l.. Bowen state
superintendent of charitiek. He
announces that in one state hos
pital of $500 patients, the "mani-
aC" class has been reduced from
500 to one and that even that one
is no maniac.
Where are the maniacs ?"
queried Mr.. Bowen. THAT is the
question asked today in every state
hospital for nervous and mental
diseases in Illinois. Among the
twenty thousand patients in the
states ten institutions, the old type
known as the maniac, is seldom
found today.
I'VE have men and women who
are disturbed and agitated. Some
do impulsive things that have
serious consequences. They re-
quire special attention and care,
but this care is that of trained
nurse or attendant and not the re
preston and restraint of cells,
straps, strong suits and leather
collars.
mot many years ago it was very
different. Our state hospitals were
full of maniacs-men and women
looked upon as dangerous. Thew
were locked in screen rooms and
padded cells to prevent them from
injuring themselves and others.
Many of them wore no clothing and
slept upon the floors.
These were the patients who
gave to all the mentally sick the
dreaded name of maniac. Every
patient was regarded as dangerous
and violent. Hundreds of visitors
came to see this class and 1t alone.
To-day in one hospital of $500
we have just one who may be
feared where not long ago there
were five hundred of that type. !
can go over this institution in my
minds eye and pick out scores of
men and women who for years
lived in the most abject state of re-
straint. We had nearly 700 screen
rooms here ten years ago in which
patients were securely locked
twenty four hours a day and 365
days in theyear.
"These were emptied long ago,
the doors removed, their walls
plastered beds placed in them and
their patients transferred to dor
mitories where they have since
lived in comparative peace and
nf fhnra moi
/ recognizable, so great has been the
change in their personal appear
ance. One of our most trusted men
who has every liberty within the
grounds, was once our maddesi.
fculest, and most feared patient"
The Illinois state hospitals today
lave no screen doors or padded
cells, nor has anything been de-
yised that answers the same pur-
pose In another form. No patient
ia restrained by mechanical means
No patient is ever locked in room
or apartment. In the last eight
years no new building has been
erected with screens or bars upon
its doors and windows and hum
dreds of old windows have been re-
lieved of their bars.
Occupational therapy, education
al classes and other means of in
teresting patients in the world
about them and in themselves and
the evolution OF the old fashioned
institution into a simple community
are the influences, Mr.. Bowen said,
which are daily making themselves
in the changing character,
attitude and conduct of those az
flicted with nervous and mental
diseases,