The Washington times., 1922-07-29
PLANsREFORM
At TRIALS OF
LUNACY Gases
Or. Hiokling, Municipal Alien
ist, Discusses Evils Of
Open Hearings.

be drawn over the saddest of all
sad scenes in District courts II
Congress acts favorabiy on sugges-
tions of DIR. d. Percy Hickling,
alienist for the municipal govern
ment, through the commissioners
for legislation. abolishing in all save
unusual cases the open trial OF per-
sons alleged to be insane.
II is not for reasons of senti-
ment. however, that DR.. Hickling
has embodied in his forthcoming
annual report the request for such
enactment. II Is based upon the
best modern practice In neuropath.
ology which aims to protect VIC
Tins of mental arrangement from
all possible excitement. DIR. Hlck-
ling expresses the belief to The
Washington Times that the court
room ordeal invariably affects the
sufferer unfavorably and often Sc
riously delays recovery. sa
Safeguards Not Lacking.
A lingering fear seems to rest
with many Congressman that sub
stantial abolishment OF the open
trial. or "de lunatico inquirendo,"
as legal phraseology has 1t. might
bring In its train all the ills and
abuses recited in such works as
Charles Reade's Very Hard Cash"
where a perfectly sane man was
held for years In durance by
schemers plotting his ruin. But
consultation Of the various stat.
utes provided for observation and
detention Of those believed insane
would seem to show that mental
unfortunates in the District are as
secure against wrongful detention
az anywhere in the United States.
and more 30 than In most States.
DR.. Hickling holds that so Ear as
facilities for disqualification Of the
temporarily or permanently unbal-
anced are concerned. Washington Is
IN an enviable position. st. Eliza
beth's, the Government Hospital for
the insane, under the conduct Of
DIR. William A. White, an interna.
tionally famous alienist, is regarded
as a model for such institutions.
Furthermore, the opening Of the
Gallinger Memorial Hospital for
psychopathic cases. at an early date
will furnish the District a splendid
clinic for observation and treatment
Of the incipientiy insane or the
feeble-minded. .a.E.
1t is in the procedure involving
determination of sanity or insanity
that DR.. Hickling would see q
change. p -..
g.. DIR. HicI<ling's Views. .-
The law provides" he said today.
that for the temporary commit
nent Of a person to st. Elizabeth's,
the petition of two householders
and the affidavits Of two physicians
shall be necessary IL the person is
to be removed from house. These
papers are filed with the District
sanitary officer at police headquar-
ters by whom they are laid before
the Commissioners, who then issue
a permit requesting the superintend.
ent of st. Elizabeth's to keep the
patient, but for not more than
thirty days.
liminary method, practical and safe
In its working and prompt and eff
cient, In the interests of both the
patient and the citizenry. But after
that comes the pinch. We have the
person under expert treatment In
the proper place and think he
should remain there until discharged
by the superintendent, improved. re-
covered or in the custody of reia.
tives or friends. -
But this course Is interrupted
within one month when the patient is
brought into court and tried before
a lay jury. There are two disadvnn-
tages to this. First, the twelve lay
men are often deciding an intricate
medical question as to whether q per-
son certified by two physicians and
two househoiders to be mentally sick
Is really so. Second, the disease Is
invariably affected unfavorably. The
ride in the ambulance, the witnessing
OF other cases while the patient waits
for his own to come up-sometimes
from 10 o'clock in the morning until
Q In the afternoon-all this IL dis
tinctly bad from a medical standpoint
and tends to retard recovery.
The remedy lies in legislation now
pending In Congress for several ses.
sions. having for it's object the treat.
ment and cure. II possible, of the pa
tient without his presence in court.
unless some unusual legal situation
necessitates II.
Such bills have failed after being
considered by the District commit.
tees. But we shall make new effort
to have them enacted into law. .
"The person confined is constantly
guaranteed safeguards. II seems to
me perfectly right that he should be
in q situation to receive scientific
treatment, even though restraint Is
necessary. II must be borne In mine
that II at any time the question Is
raised as to the legality or propriety
OF restraint, Il can be disposed Of In
court on a writ Of habeas corpus.
Temporary commitment Is one
thing; an open trial In crowded
courtroom is another. Consider the
heartaches occasioned when a brother
must take the witness stand in front
of all spectators and swear that his
sister is insane to the best of his be-
lief; when a man must swear over
his own father or mother in the same
The legislation of
which have spoken will remove |
the bad points Of the law.
Suggests Commission.
Then in the course OF time, we |
may be able to supercede practic- |
ally all judicial hearings in such |