Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-06-17
MENTAL CONDITION OF INMATES OF STATE
INSTITUTIONS UNFAvORABLE, SAYS REPORT;
PRESENT CURATIVE METHODS COMMENDED

Mental conditions OF persons con-
fined in state hospitals. the state
penitentiary, detention homes, in
dustrial homes and county jails, de-
termined in 1920 by the mental by
gienic commission, appointed by
Governor Cornwell, were very un-
favorable. according to report OF the
survey given last week at the con-
vention of the state medical asso-
citation in Charleston by DR.. L. V.
Guthrie, superintendent of the Hunt
ington State Hospital, and chairman
Of the mental commission.
The report said that "psychome-
rio examinations at the state pris-
on at Moundsville showed out OF
80 prisoners tested. SO per cent de-
Waited from average normal mental
health; nearly As per cent had the
mental level of the average child of
y years of age or under, 2s per cent
we're feeble-minded. These ratios
and the percentage OF feeblemind-
edness as found in this and other
institutions in West Virginia are
not peculiar to our state for practi-
cally the same ratio exists through
ont the country where similar stu
dies have been made"
Report of Or. Guthrie.
The report OF DR.. Guthrie. given
in the form OF paper which he
read to the medical association mem
bers, was as follows, in part:
THE industrial home for girls
oh Of
mates had the mental age OF the av-
erage American girl of II years or
under. and only one girl was under
the chronological age OF IL years
Thirty-one per cent OF these girls
were feeble-minded. Practically the
same condition existed at the boys
reformatory. Among the inmates
of our county jails we found 60 per
cent suffering with some abnormal
mental or nervous disease and of
these inmates, IS per cent were
found to be feeble-minded.
1.-TWO hundred and forty prison
ers in iails out of sos in the state
were carefully examined Sixty per
cent of these individuals were suf-
fering from some abnormal nervous
or mental condition, % per cent
were feeble minded, and l have
reason to believe that he same ra-
tios would prevail had the entire
number been examined. County
almshouses and county aid in the So
counties OF the state showed. at the
time of the survey, 1.120 persons
were being cared for by the respec-
tive counties. Sixteen counties Sc.
lected at random in the different
parts of the state were examined.
Two hundred and sixty-nine inmates
Of the 16 counties showed IL per
cent feeble-minded and % per cent
suffering from mental disease or de-
tefioration. Fifty-one per cent were
suffering from chronic physical dis
ease and the medical attention fur
nished was not always ideal, or
the Is immoral women found in
jails, homes of refuge and indust
rial schools for girls, GO per cent
were sub-normal in intelligence or
handicapped by serious mental con-
ditions. Thirty per cent were dis
tinotly feebleminded.
EIkins children's Home.
1.-The West Virginia children's
home at Elkins at the time of the
survey was caring for 2S children.
Sixteen of the children were nor
nal a1d IL feeble-minded. 1t should
be borne in mind that this was q
highly selected group of cases, GULL
ed, in a way, from large number
of serious cases.
"The mentality OF 141 children
at the Odd Fellows children's home
at Elkins showed five per cent
feebeminded.
"Out of $3.50 school children ex.
amined, three per cent were ment-
ally defective. City schools gave
about two per cent an dthe rural
districts showed a higher percent
age of detectives. This is in keep
ing with the army statistics show
ing that three-fourths OF the feeble
minded come from rural districts.
The above statistics I find COM
pare favorably with schools and IN
situations throughout other parts
Of the country. In fact. we found
no abnormal percentage as COM
pared with other states where the
same kind of examinations have
been made.