New Britain herald., 1924-09-24
HUMANE METHODS
 WITH THE INSANE
Dr. Leak Tells of Work at
 MiddletoWn Hospital

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 nr. R. L. Leak, superintendent of su. Connecticut state hospital at AIiddletown In an address to the Kiwanis club at the Burritt hotel at noon today.
 pr. Leak stated that the average person today takes an entirely wrong attitude towards the person who Is mentally sick. He explained Shat theJword "insane" has been discard- ed in all cases except on legal docu- ments and that patients In the hos pitals are simply mentally sick"
 Handling these cases he said is one of the most serious. phases of life. There are, according to pr. Leaks figures 4,500 mentally sick people in-connecticut, 2,7oo of them being at Middletown knd 1900 at Norwich.
 .. He told how the Middletown insti- ..tution is community in itself, the institution having its own electri- ciaus, plumbers, carpenters and oth- CT types of mechanics. There are no lay offs, we work day and night every day and every hour" he said, explaining that much of the work is due to the destructive instincts of certain types of patients.
 We are dealing with the most in- tricate kind of machinery, the hut man body and the human mind," he said.
 He explained that the institution has its own power plant and also that the patients are being cared for, fed and housed, given medical at tentjon when needed on an average cost of $5.s1 per patient per week.
 He said that until two years ago when the courts were asked to send patients to Norwich because the Middletown institution was over crowded, there was an average or 510 new patients every year. In the last two years S45 were admitted. Of these 6O4 had never before been in an institution of this kind. Eigh- teen per cent of the patients are aliens costing the state between sS2'- 900 and s33,0O0 every year. Forty- two per cent were born in foreign country.
 Some countries" he said, have been proven to have set aside del- mite sum of, money to send insane ratientsto America rather than take care of them in their own communi-
 f4
 ties"
 "A visit to Ellis Island, according fin pr. Leak, will prove to anyone ,hst there is grave need of physical and mental examination of immi- grants before they leave the other tide,
 Relatives Mistakes
 One of the greatest difficulties the officials of an institution of this type Have. the superintendent stated IS the mistaken attitude on the part or relatives and friends, Almost in- ,ariably, he explained when a pa t.ent is declared insane, relatives ana friends immediately ostracize the ratient. which Is the worst possible thing they can do. The patients notices the attitude and broods over it. .f.t ..m.-... ..
 "aIl of us have some hidden secrets which, If not properly dealt s with may lead to our own preak- down." he said.
 The physician severely criticized Inc relstiyes and friends who de- ceive the patient by saying, we are going to take you for ride or to visit Aunt Jane," and then dumps tho patient into an institution and hurries away. The patient imme- diately becomes indignant. insists upon his constitutional rights Of freedom, Says he has not been com- mitted by order of the courts, and then there ensucs a period of months before the confidence and friendship of the patient can be gained. Treat rnent can only start after this confi- dence $ gained blythe officials. This receit win only aceentuate tho patients imaginary ideas and IS one of the most harmful things can be done for. him." he, said.
 Sometimes friends and relatives neglect the patient entirely, never write to him or never come to see him, He told of one case where the institution said the man would be cured in time and the neighbors said he wouldn't. The family ignored him altogether and when he was dis charged as cured he refused to re- turn to his family. saying they never had shown any consideration when he needed it. It took the institution officials three months to establish friendly relations between the man and his wife and daughters.
 He told about a time when all the newspapers were clipped of murder stories and other things which were thought to have a wrong effect on the mind of the patient. Nov we give them the papers just as they come of the press and we ask rela- lives to write and tell them all the news.
 He said the number ofyGscs are increasing in the country. In Con- necticut the cases of mental sickness increased 40 per cent in proportion to an increase Of 20 per cent in population, and in the United States there was an increase of 4s per cent in insanity and only 14 per cent in general population.
 Asked if any drugs were used, the physician said he knew of no drug that would change purely mental case, although medicine is used in organic treatments the same as in any general hospital.
 He told about some criticisms of the institution and mentioned the case of a New Britain man who yis-