Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-12
INDICTS STATE
FOR NEGLIGENCE
/. u. Mental Specialist Says
Prevalence of Feeble
Mindedness Crime.

The condition and number of feeble
minded citizens and children in certain
counties of Indiana stands as an indict
ment against the State of Indiana, and will
so continue to stand until remedial con-
ditions to improve their condition are
adopted by the State, DR.. Charles D.
Humes. assistant in mental and nervous
diseases at the Indiana University
School of Medicine told one hundred
public health nurses. in a clinic con
Quoted today at the city dispensary, in
connection with the nurses annual in
stitute.
The institute closed this afternoon,
with a trip to Sunnyside, the Marion
County tuberculosis Sanitarium, where
clinic was held. The nurses opened
their institute Tuesday, in conjunction
with the annual conference of the city
and county health officers of the State.
About twenty five examples of feeble
mindedness in children were viewed by
the nurses at the clinic. The children 1t
was explained were not insane, we're not
imbeciles nor idiots, but were suffering
from mental effectiveness.
"The indictment against the people of
Indiana will stand as long as the hog
child" said DR.. Humes, in outlining a
before the condition is corrected
1t is necessary, the speaker declared.
for the people of the State to go be-
fore the Legislature and demand enact
ment of laws that will enable the State
ta~aid in the battle against mental de-
fectiveness, and it is necessary for
campaign of publicity to be carried on,
to acquaiAt the citizens of Indiana with
the actual facts.
Several nurses were asked by DR..
Humes to give an outline of the condi-
tions in the counties in which they are
located OF the counties given, Franklin
County was outstanding, In view of the
unique makeup of the citizenry. 1T was
said by the nurse of that county that
there is an average of 500 examples Of
mental effectiveness among the children
of the community.
| 1t was explained that the condition Of
Franklin County is unlike that Of any
/ other county In the State. Most Of the
population of that county, 1t was ex-
/ planned, came from the hills Of Kentucky,
where little thought was given to educa-
| ton and where intermarriage Is the rule
rather than the exception.
ITALIAN GIRL
FIRST EXAMPLE.
The first example to he brought be-
/ fore the nurses was a IS year-o old allan
girl, 10 through some physical defec-
tiveness Of the parents, was a mental de-
! fective. Although 10 years old. she had
| the mentality OLA child Of or 6. Various
tests were made on the girl by Or.
Humes, to bring out the effect OF the
treatment that has been administered un-
der the care OF physicians and mental
| hygiene workers. Various types OF men
tai detectives were produced. and round
table discussion was conducted during
the clinic
In cases where a court-has doubts as
to tie mental development OF persons
brought before It. a hospital should be
established for diagnosis Of the minds
of such criminals. was the opinion given
by VI. r. Esterbrook, Of the Carnegie
institute, Pittsburgh, Pa, to city and
county health officers In the closing
session Of their annual conference yester-
day. Mr.. Esterhrook advocated the
passage OF a law which would prohibit
! furnishing any criminal who has not
reached the mental age OF 10, regardless
of physical growth.
Mr.. Esterbrook declared there were ap-
proximately 10000 mental detectives In
Indigna. Til " are divided in three
classes, be said. the first being the idiot
with the mentality Of child OF 2 years
the second the imbecile with the mind
of child Of . years. and the moron with
the mental development Of a child Of
frcm TO Is years
Persons Of the first two, classes can
not be held responsible for their crimes,
he declared, hut the third class can be
held responsible, according TO the type
OF crime committed. Many Of the adults
now serving time in prisons throughout
the country would be confined in institu-
lions for mental detectives II their cases
had been Investigated, Mr.. Esterbrook
said.