Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27

HUMAN beings, well or sick, need music as
- a simple form of health insurance, Dr.
Van de Wall believes. For the person who is
under heavy stress, music is sedative. For
the tired and depressed, it Is a mental tonic
It is no patent medicine cure-al
Music cannot alone heal diseases of mind and
body But it can stir up latent energies and
desires in the invalided and it does have some
effect on heart action, blood pressure and gland
ular function, though its connection with such
physiological processes is still not well under
stood.
Music does for the so-called abnormal mind
identically what it does for the so-called nor
NAL" DR.. Van de Wall says. 1T dispels the
gloom Of morbid isolation which decisions and
Authorizations afford. 1t creates direct, pleas
urable congenial and beautiful environment in
tones. 1t gives something much to be desired
eSthetic sense satisfaction.
Music overcomeS the idler's state of indie
csion which is eating up the lives Of thousands
of people. It stimulates some of the drowsy
patients to vigorous action and many of the
unsocial individuals to participation in socially
constructive activities
Even those unfortunates who are too handi-
capped mentally and physically to fit into the
normal scheme of efficiency and productivity
demanded by society find in the inspiration OF
music the power and the will to forget their
weaknesses. They quickly drop their patho-
logical moods and reflections, throw off their
eccentric behavior, and sing dance, act and
talk, exercising all the faculties they have and
often exhibiting more than they have shown in
their previous abnormal condition.
1.-The appeal of music is so fundamental that
with the least remnant Of mentality left any
one may enjoy in some form or other, and also
express himself in producing it, though this
expression may be, from technical musical
point of view, without any artistic merit
ALL of DR. Van de Walls hospital work Is d.
"A rected toward the goal Of arousing the pa
tients into a semblance Of their formal normal
reactions to life
He comes into a ward, bringing little port
able organ. He opens and adjusts the instTu-
ment, trying to be matter-of-fact in an abb
normal atmosphere where several men are peer
ing at him curiously, others are moving about
with mechanical step and some have failed to
note that anything strange and new has come
into the room at all. 49, f...'-.
DR.. Van de Wall plays and sings a simple
melody-"Old Black joe" perhaps-not in the
formal way that concert singer would play
1t, but as it might be sung at home in the eve
ming. He goes from one song to another and
presently voices join in and the patients begin
asking for favorites and faces lose the strange,
alarming expressions. r.. I...
But before the little concert is over a large
percentage of these people. who ordinarily keep
themselves in deSolate isolation, are taking part
in a social activity. ..
You might talk patiently for hours to some
of these people, DR.. Van de Wall explains, IN
an attempt to probe their difficulties and get
no encouraging answers They are too afraid
or too suspicious or too apathetic to respond.
But the tunes talk familiar language and
they gain confidence.