The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-08
Public Support Urged
 For Mental Hygiene
Mrs Margaret Verdon, Welfare Supervisor, Outlines
 Need, Results of Psychiatric Work on Radio

CuknCtoeub Wlln me plea I0f the support of the Waterbury ao- ciety for Mental Hygiene made yes terday over station WATR by Mrs Margaret Verdon, supervisor of the city welfare department. 1t is an- bounced that $2,50O has been al- ready pledged fro the re-establi ment fthe clinic discontinued last Tall. Mrs Verdon, interviewed by William r. Harrington, city editor of the Democrat yesterday stressed the urgent need of financial SUD- port for sEch a clinic in Waterbury and described its purposes.
 a She had previously asked the assistance of the Waterbury Quo- ta club and other organizations in the maintenance of the clinic.
 According to Mrs Charles, E. Hart, president of the local society and Mrs Bonnet Bronson, of the board of directors, the sum of $S.OOO is needed to continue the work of the clinic, which has for the past three years been operated in connection with the Life Ad- Justment Center of the Second Con- gregational church.
 It Is hoped to conduct the worl; at least for one full day each week, A. psychiatrist and a psychiatric social worker were employed by the society up to last September, When insufficient funds caused the release of the social worker and a,reduction in the sechedule of the psychiatrist.
 Mrs Verdon pointed out the ne- cessity for treatment encountered by her staff almost daily. Her ad- dress follows:
 was very ratified to find that there was such a ready response to my remarks on the need for support Of the Waterbury Mental Hygiene Society at the Quota Club dinner, recently, and I will do my best in these few minutes to tell you what my conception of mental hygiene is.
 As you know, mental disease and mental health are Fundamentally medical problems, and the branch of, medicine that deals with them is known as physciatry. It's history goes back to, the dawn of medicine with. roots deep in folklore. Dr Pinel, a French doctor. at the end of the eighteenth century, first In. troduced the modern humane treatment of the mental, diseased and by the end of the nineteenth century, 8 true science of physcia- try was in being.
 The mental hygiene movement was founded twenty-seven years ago by a citizen of Connecticut and 8 graduate of Yale. Clifford Beers with group of men and women interested in helping humanity, met in the house of the Reverend MHr Stokes and founded what is known today as the Connecticu ut Society of Mental Hygiene, and from this tiny seed his grown one of the most notable social achieve meNts of the modern world.
 LAt me read to you the objects of the Connecticut society and ask you to consider their signifi- canoe: ss
 'sThe first purpose of this society should be to work for the conserva- ton of mental health; to help to present diseases of nervous disor- der and nervous effect; to help raise theu standards of care for those suffering from any of these disorders or effects; to secure and disueminate reliable information on these subjects; to cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies or officials, and with public and private agencies whose work Is in any way related to that of society for mental hygiene"
 In brief, the aim of the Mental Hygiene Society Is to cure disease Ey, prevention. The Mental Hygiene movement bears the same relation ship to physiciatry that the public health movement, of which 1t is a part, bears to medicine. It is an organized community response to a recognized community need. and its geratest emphasis is on the de- lection and control of incipient maladjustment.3 *'
 There are in our case load many individuals who either have had some physciatric treatment, or are badly insneed of it. Let me at this point say how pleased was on arriving in Waterbury last year. to find well set-up clinic Known as the Life Adjustment Center which functions in conjunction with the Waterbury Mental Hygiene Society.
 Adequate Clinic
 One of my first activities was to ask for appointments. but you can imagine my Encouragement on finding that the services of the physciatric worker had to be dis continued because there was not money enough to pay her salary. Since this worker left. the clinic has been operating under very diff ficult circumstances. Instead of having q physciatrist in attend- ance daily, one half day a week is all that can be afforded. I hope very much that the community will realize the importance. of being able to give those in need of treat ment an. opportunity of becoming happy, independent citizens and