The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-08

" oS0AA8Sous ~ W. 0Ao4SA - "a
bureau Of mental hygiene for the
city Of Washington. which will
look after the mental health Of the
citizens, Just a. the present health
department looks after their ply
steal well being. IL now being pro-
jected BY social workers. and is
certainly one of the most striking
Of recent ideas in municipal admin
istration.
Washington's problems are the
problems Of other towns. The far
reaching effects Of diseased minds
are felt In every community. But
the diagnosis and treatment of
mental disturbances are still large
ly in An experimental stage. It is
only recently that institutions for
the insane have become hospitals
as well as homes. And it is still a
more recent development that the
cities have begun to establish elm
ical Organizations to treat such
diseases In their less advanced
stages.
These clinics have done pioneer
work, and already certain facts are
recognized. A clinic here treated
800 people the past year, mostly
eliminates Of institutions and chill
dren. It reports that during the
year Of it, existence, Of numerous
children brought to 1t from the
juvenile court, no one has been
sent to the reform school-where
they might have been put had they
continued the practices for which
they were hailed into court
The doctor In charge OF this same
mental hygiene clinic informs us
that 1t il an extremely rare occur
renee that the reason for anti
social or irrational acts cannot be
traced and corrective treatment
outlined. Patients usually make
return trips to the clinic. and the
clinics social workers last year
made $500 visits to homes to see
how the patients were progress
ing. This work was chiefly with
children.
1t is hard to tabulate lasting re-
suits Of treatment in each case, be-
cause, after a time, the clinic al
most always loses sight of its old
patients. and 1t can only presume
that they have not had further
trouble. From encouraging results
noted in q large percentage of cases
during clinical supervision the doc
tor in charge states as his belief
| that could every child who had un-
usual or troublesome traits, be
properly treated by a psychiatrist
and have the proper environment
for the rest Of its adolescence, the
number Of cases going into jails
and insane institutions would be
materially lessened. 1t is recog-
nized that the majority Of mentally
diseased adults had symptoms OF
an abnormal condition in child.
hood. It is also true that children
can be more easily treated thar
adults. They are more readily
guided away from the unhealthy
thoughts or associations, and the
abnormal condition in them is in
the majority Of cases less deeply
rooted.
Scientists Favor Project.
The success Of such clinics as
this one, working in settlements
and poorer districts. has led to the
idea that the treatment offered tc
small part Of the people should
be available to everyone-there
fore, the plan here for a mental
hygiene bureau.
! DR.. W. A. White, superintendent
Of st. Elizabeth's. the government
hospital for the insane, is in favol
Of the establishment Of the bureau
So, also, is DIR. Robert Yerkes, au
thor of the mental intelligence test!
used in the army. Both of thes,
men are on the committee for men
tai hygiene. In fact, all Of tn,
alienists. doctors and social work
ers of the city, who are interested
in mental problems, advocate tn,
project.
How the bureau would function
is at present purely speculative
There might be a central clinic TO-
the entire city. though this sugges
ton has been opposed on tn,
grounds that people would hesitate
to come for a consultation to /,
large public linic. A more desir
able plan from this point Of viev
; is for number Of small clinics IL
different sections Of town.
A mental hygiene board or com
: mission would probably be organ
fized to direct the work Of promot
ing mental hygiene in the city
Such a board would conduct re