Evening star., 1923-01-21
SEEKING TO CURE MINDS OF
MEN UNBALANCED BY WAR
Veterans Bureau Plans Building Up Staff
OF Neuro-Psychiatrists to Cope
With Thousands of Cases.

zen. It is only through infinite care
and patience that the rehabilitation
of the mentally afflicted veteran can
be accomplished. and the Veterans
Bureau is careful in it's selection of
the men who must bring it about.
Learning Latest Methods.
In addition 10 the school at St. Eliza
beth's, the Veterans Bureau is going
forward with plan to keep~its hospi-
tai personnel at the highest efficiency
A consulting staff Of physicians is be-
ing selected from specialists, who, by
experience and reputation, seem best
qualified for expert service and coun-
sci in complicated cases At least
twice year the heads of the neuro-
psychlatric hospitals will gather iR
their respective districts to hear lee
lures by recognized authorities on the
most modern methods of diagnosis
care and treatment of neuro- psychiat-'
rlc conditions In order to keep the
noSpltal physicians Informed on the
latest methods. clinics are being estab-
llshed in each district, which the
physicians will take turns in attending
Tor period of six weeks. By its plan
the bureau hopes to add constantly to
It's star of trained physicians, and AZ
tne same time enable the graduates to
Keep IN touch with the latest scientific
w SioplISHtS III IntlT prof. 6SSlOn.
A study of the situation has con-
Vlnced the Veterans Bureau that the
care or the neuro- -psychiatric cases is
its .gravest problem. The number
dlmlnishes slowly. New cases appear
daily and will continue TO appear for
years, while men apparently cured
surfer reak-doWns wS:ch bring them
again under the governments care.
Causes of Breakdown.
In he inio
work, perhaps half of the total num-
ber of veterans suffering mental dis
orders of one kind or another. broke
down under shell fire. The other half
owe their deficiency 10 an inability
to readjust themselves.
Any case is typical. Here was
man who, perhaps. had been a clerk
before the war. He was snatched out
of civilian life. a peaceful uncvcntful
| life. and put into ehe Army. He was
given rifle and taught to kill. Every
time he thrust his bayonet into 81
dummy on the drill ground he was
told to twist it, to growi while he
twisted il an to curse when he pulled
il out He was taught to aim at the
throat to thrust upward, 10 Withdraw.
with a hard pull downward. He was
told that a foot. advantageously placed
on the face or body of fallen foe,
a ided in the withdrawal of bayonet.
His whole nature, trained from youth
to construct. was taught to destroy.
Some of them broke down before
they hear rifiefire. Others collapsed
| when they reached the firing line.
But there are thousands who were
apparently normal until they faced
! the change from war to peace. They
found conditions at home were not
what they had known before. nor
expected TO find. The emotional slim
ulant which carried them through the
! hardships of war. left them fiat, un-
prepared TO fight the new battles OF
| peace.
The effects vary. Some have become
| hopelessly insane. All that a kind
government can do is to provide them
| with food and a comfortable place to
| live until a merciful death takes
them away. Others have lost their
power of self restraint and an ap-
| probation of the rights of society.
Others have developed curious men
tai twists which prevent their nor
NAL participation in the order OF
things. Still others-perhaps in the
ma majority-develop physical ailments,
which exist only in their imagina-
| tfons, but from which they suffer IN
grim reality.
These men have earned by heroic
sacrifice their places in society. AND
| it is the aim of the bureau. and the
government behind it, to put them
back.