The Bismarck tribune., 1922-05-02
PEOPLE p 0 J |. / 'LIT''TLE | | y !
BIT OFF, TAKE
!. TREATMENT NOW
Thousands of Such People Now
Go Voluntarily TO Free
Dispensaries
AID ASSN COOPERATING


said to be becoming saner about in.
sanity. Families used to feel it a terri
bic stigma if any of their Kin was
considered "a little bit Off, as the
saying went. But thousands OF such
people now go voluntarily TO free dis
pensaries for nervous and mental
disorders"
Last year 1883 persons in New
York State made $3.50 visits to tie
40 such clinics conducted throughout
the, state. Only five or six years ago
such a,thing was unknown, according
to officials Of the State Charities Aid
Association, which is cooperating in
the work. ~
Tbs organization, pointing to sta
tistics' which show the tuberculosis
death rate dropped about "a percent
from 1907, when the organized fight
on. the, white plague began, to 1920,
expects7tO show the same results in
it's battle against insanity.
The war and the business depres-
sion that has followed caused a con-
siderable. increase in mental disor-
ders, Aid Association Officials de-
clared. They have found, however,
that; serious worries and diseases are
not the only waves that shove the
mind off an even kneel. Some people
become unba lanced by too much re-
creation, just as others skid from the
path; of sanity because Of OverWOrk
and domestic unl,appiness.
What the association intends to do
is popularize information concerning
the causes, treatment and prevention
OF mental disorders generally. It con-
tends that 40 percent of the 10000
persons in New York State who are
now under treatment in asylums and
hospitals for feeble minded could have
been saved from such fate if the
proper preventative measures had
been taken in time. 1t feels that sine
the asylums of the country have a
greater enrolment than the colleges,
the people ought Ito be taught to have
themselves examined by Competent
physicians if they feel queer, or if ac-
quaintances so consider them.
Cutting Down Insanity
The most hopeful sign for cutting
down insanity is in the attitude Of
parents and teachers toward children,
in the belief of the Aid Association.
If we can help the queer children,
we will have fewer queer .grownups
in the future," one official said.
Often the youngsters who are back
ward and queer merely need to nave
their tonsils or adenoids removed the
doctors have found. But others have |
complexes, inhibitions, and a neurosis
or two fretting their young minds. In
this connection, it was said that some
Of The doctors at the state hospitals
make use of psychoana1ysis, while
others do mot believe in iknsPatients
upon consultation often are void what !;
to stop worrying about; and fie!d
agents go around to sea how tlley
are getting along. Others are Giscov-
cred to be worse off sthan merely
as they most often describe
their own condition, and occasionally
these have to be sent to an institution.
Cultivation. Of health through pre-.
per habits .of the mind and the CUT
ting out Of bad mental habits is one
idea that those working on the prob
lem hope to put into the public's head.
Brooding over being snubbed by 9TH
ers, or misfortunes and injuries is the
thing the experts want people to- stop
doing. Work instead of day dreaming.
these experts say is a. pretty good
way to prevent getting lop-sided be-
tween the ears. /