Evening star., 1935-10-17

wolves particularly the emotional re-
sponses The tendency to be seclusive
and to withdraw from reality, usually
manifested in childhood, is the distinc-
tive characteristic Of the personality on
which dementia praecox is readily en-
grated.
common name for the disease is
"SchiZophrenia." or soul splitting" be-
cause it reveals fundamental splitting
between the emotional. the thought and
the motor processes. Many Of the most
brutal and elusive of criminals are be-
lieved to be victims Of this disease in
some stage. The disease is, at the pres
ent stage, practically incurable. Unless
an adjustment is accomplished during
the brief incipient stage. when the
symptoms are likely to 60 unrecogniZed,
the victim is condemned to q veritable
living death, devoid of emotional life
and unable to participate in the normal
activities and emotional life Of the
living.
"Not only is dementia praecox the
most frequently diagnosed mental disease
in the hospitals" says the report upon
which the new campaign is based, but
the disorder is found frequently in indi-
viduals with q very highly organized
mind who, early in life, give promise Of
brilliant careers. The earliest manifes-
tations of trouble are often difficult to
determine, subtle in their expressions
and slow in development. In typical
case the creative potentialities of the
mind gradually become involved in
day-dreaming, emotionally distorted proc
eSS which cripples the personality and
economic adjustments of the individual
gradually leading to q type Of deteri-
Grafton of character which shows itself
either by q tendency to withdraw from
social activities or by an aggressive atti-
tude overstepping the bounds Of social
tolerance. In many cases the deteriora-
tion processes become arrested at some
stage or degree of development, thus
producing borderline conditions allow
ing for partial, and even some creative,
adjustments to society. Occasionally
there is almost complete restitution,
which has occurred either spontaneously
or after special treatment.
But the outcome in general is exceed
ingly serious and the destructive de-
terioration processes in force ruin what
are thought to be the most valuable of
MINDS The premature deterioration of
character Is not explained on the basis
of any of the known physical diseases
and it Is just this fact which emphasizes
the unusual difficulties presented in re-
search on the disorder. Nowhere else
in medicine do the symptoms Of disorder
disturb the moral and social conduct
and relationships of the individual in
such an extensive manner. Because of
this the attitude Of society has been
characterized chiefly by the desire to
bring these patients under welfare
treatment and in defending itself from
unpleasant and sometimes dangerous
associations with them"
Among the most urgent studies, 1t Is
pointed out, Is one to determine the in
fiuence of heredity in the disease. So
little is known of human heredity that
it is dif1icult to come to any sound con-
clusion at this time. Another matter to
be determined Is the relative influence
Of the disease in different levels of So
ciety and its geographical incidence
throughout the United States. Still an
other matter to be determined Is whether
the disease Is q malady of civilization
or whether anything comparable to it
can be found in uncivilized society
which would indicate . fundamental
biological basis n the yace - q whole.