Evening star., 1935-10-17
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

A national campaign of scientific re-
search against the most serious human
malady known in the United States has
Just been launched.
This malady is not tuberculosis, can
Ger or some affection of the heart. 1t
constitutes a more serious problem than
these prevalent and dreaded diseases.
1t is the obscure malady known as soul
splitting"-to give a literal translation
of the Greek word "schizophrenia."
There are twice as many hospital
cases of soul splitting" as of tubercu-
losis. Each year between 10000 and
10000 persons. as a matter OF record,
are victims of it. 1t Is harder to cure
than these other diseases. 1t is more
expensive. both to the family of the VIC
tim and to the community. 1t is prob
ably just as disabling as any physical
disease and, in the end. just as fatal.
The reason it's devastating effects are
not better known is that the victims are
hidden away, for the protection OF So
ciety. and it is not matter that their
friends and relatives like to talk about.
There has been no co-ordinated CAM
paigp against it. Research has been
confined to individual, spasmodic effort.
One student has not known what the
other was doing.
A year ago the Scottish Rite Masons
made an appropriation for q national
survey of the extent of the malady. the
efforts being made to combat it, and
the possibilities. This was carried on
under the direction of DR.. Nolan D. C..
Lewis, formerly clinical director of St.
Elizabeths Hospital. DR.. Lewis has
Just made his report and, on the basis
of it, the same organization has made
available 10000 to the National Com
mittee for Mental Hygiene for the OPEN
ing drive of an extended battle. The
first objective will be the intensifica-
ton of research activities with projects
to be inaugurated in 10 American cities
under the direction of committee of
distinguished pSychiatrists.
The disease, recognized since the
dawn of history. has remained the myS-
terry of psychiatry. Both its cause and
its pathology are unknown. 1t is essen
TALLY disorganization of the person.
ality during the period Of adolescence
or early maturity. 1t is characterized,
in q general way, by an inco-ordination
of the mental mechanism and it is
associated sooner or later with an in
tellectual deterioration without any def
mite organic basis which can be demon
strated.
Psychologically it Is characterized as
"the reaction of an inadequate person.
ality to the difficulties of environment.
This inadequacy is not demonstrable in
the intellectual field, but expresses itself
in an inability to react, as does the nor
NAL and well-balanced personality to
the difficulties encountered during the
course of educational, economic, emo
tional, domestic or social life"
Another characterization issued by the
National Committee is'"a defensive re-
action in a sensitive human being to q
feeling of personal failure. It results
from inability to meet ones own per-
sonal standards. It is Enthusiastically
accompanied by sense Of isolation. It
may take the form of panic, of despair
ing acceptance, of evasiveness with pro-
lection and grandiose delusions, or Of
simple acceptance of inferiority. Fun
damental to the psychosis is an intoler-
able loss Of self-respect."
The course and symptoms of the dis
ease differ profoundly, but the end
state h 90 o dstsriorltton which In