South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-17
j. S. AIDS DISABLED
VETS IN HOSPITAL
Marion Institution Receives
Praise of Investigator
Largest in L. 5.
BY HARRY HUNT.

MARION, Ind, Feb. 16.-In sharp
contrast TO the conditions surround
ing mentally disabled veterans
farmed out to over-crOwded. under
equipped state and private asylums.
are those provided for mental cases
assigned to the Marion National
sanitaTium.
This institution, formerly the
Marion National Soldiers home, has
been converted into a hospital for
veterans who suffered mental injury
in the war. Il is the largest of the
governments hospitals for mental
cases.
When changes already authorized
are made, accommodation viii Zoe
available here for I $50 men. There
are today just under 900 patients.
Unlike the condition OF the men
farmed out to state asylums, these
men get something besides board
and bed and "custodial care" They
get the most skillful and scientific
treatment and nursing the govern
ment can provide.
There is here a definite plan and
effort TO provide mental rehabilita
ton. The idea Of the institution is
that it ia place where men can be
restored TO normal mental health. II
is a hospital. a sanitarium: not an
asylum.
Many Are Cured.
The aim toward which We work
explains DR.. William MacIakc SUI
perintendent lis the restoration 20
normal mentality of the greatest
possible number of the men who
come to MS. That is our job.
Every known scientific aid and
method is employed AS a result
we have already discharged az cured
a considerable number of men.
There is no doubt but that under
scientific treatment and proper care
a large percentage of the mental
and nervous disorders developnC
among eN-service men can be cured.
and the men restored to their fami-
lies.
After all. the normal man IS
only relatively normal The vast
majority of us are a little out OF
plumb on one question or another
The strain of the waiting game
during the war served to set these
men over the line into the groups
we recognize as 'neuro- psyc hiatrie
eases The vast majority OF them
we do not speak of as insane. They
are suffering from mental or nervous
sickness which viii respond 90 sci-
entihc treatment and nursing as
definitely as a bodily aiiWent.
Goporo--- NIfsfaLts
Perhaps the biggest mistake made
BY congress in laying down it's orig
inal program for disqualification OF
mental cases was the assumption
that the majority OF such cases
would come from amouG men ace
tuaIly in The fighting ON the has
OF the number or troops Uncle Sam
had in battle. the original program
for pSycbopathir hospitals would
have been sufficient.
But tho percentage of Weua
cases developing among ex-Soldiers
appears 70 be az great among troope
who never got 20 the battle line
Two factors contribute 70 this CON
dition. pEchopathic experts state.
one is the reaction against the draft.
The second was the mental wear
aud-tear OF 'the wa ting game" after
men had completed their training
and felt themselves nearing tho hour
for going over the top"
BY comparison with the mental
disabilities arising from these two
classes. the number Of men suffer
ing from "shell-shock" or from the
actual experiences OF battle is rela-
lively small Also, it IS held. the
opportunities FOR rehabilitation OF
these non-actlon cases - relatively
great
Shows Possibilities.
The success OF scientific. highly
specialized treatment Of these post .
war mental cases may ultimately DC
gagged by results at Institutions such /.