Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-03

patlent-a SchlzOphrenlc-at st.
back from his private, unreal
world and is nearly ready to go
home well again.
He was speaking to his group
therapy class during a discussion
of the effects of the new tran
Iquilizing drugs.
He knows that, If it weren't
for chlorpromazine and its quiet
ling effects on his mind. he would
still be in his troubled world
battling the Satan his mind con-
Ijured up to blame for his malad-
Ijustment.
He has been at st. Elizabeths
for more than six months and
lis still taking the drug which
has caused psychiatric wonders.
Until chlorpromazine Gained
him. he was unable to talk CO.
Iherently about his mental state
with pSychiatrists.
Opened Door to Cure
Even after he was Gained, his
Imaginary Satan still prosecuted
him but his reactions were not
las disturbed. Gradually. he was
made to see that the Satan was
all in his mind.
People were grabbing at me.
prosecuting me, or it seemed
that way" he told his therapy
group.
Il needed something to blame
all of this on. What did I find
but Satan in the Bible. He
seemed to dupe everybody to get
lat me.
II was going through a period
of maladjustment when l solved
my problem in an undesirable
way. ! took it all out on those
about me.
Then the drug relieved my
tension"
Chlorpromazine didn't cure
him. But it quoted him to the
point where he could cooperate
and realize his mental condition
He wants to "go back to the out
side" Before. he wanted only tc
withdraw into himself as far as
possible from the real world.
In the same class, a young
woman was pacing nervously
back and forth. What was
troubling her withdrawn per-
sonality hasn't come out yet.
Electric shock therapy was
tried in vain. She couldn't be
reached by psychotherapy.
Becoming Quieter
Now, doctors have started her
on chlorpromazine and she is
becoming quieter. The constant
pacing is an early effect of the
drug. 1t will disappear gradu-
ally as she is continued on it.
AS these i'll people return to
reality, the hospital staff must
prepare them for the outside
world. Just as with Rip Van
Wrinkle. who awoke to a new
world after 20 years of sleep.
conditions for these persons
seem different.
AS guards" becoming unnec-
eSsary. st. Elizabeths must work
to increase the participation of
nurses and attendants in thera-
peutic work with patients. Each
year sees an increase in employee
participation.
DR.. Jay l.. Hoffman,, first as
sistant physician there. is in part
responsible for the home-like
atmosphere of wards which used
to be mere places of confinement
for violent patients who could
not be reached by psychotherapy.
Some Unreachable
Although there are still such
wards for some patients, many
who were there are gone. The
drugs don't reach every mental
patient. They don't help the
senile. Sometime they help to
varying degrees.
So, the extent Of the home
like atmosphere of the ward
varies with the condition of the
group of patients in it.
OF the $500 employees at the
hospital. 1000 or more are nurses
and attendants.
Ward doctors are encouraged
to hold meetings with their
staffs to discuss patient prob
lens. Emphasis is placed on
helping patients attain a sense
of human dignity. Respect is
accorded the patient, DR.. Hoff-
mann says, and the patient re-
turns respect with respect,
courtesy with courtesy.
Group therapy sessions are
more frequent now that a larger
number of persons-thanks to
the drugs-are able to undergo
them.
Groups Of 30 to 40 patients
gather together several times
each week to discuss their
symptoms. They receive en-
couragement from each other
and the staff. Most patients in
the groups have undergone
symptoms.
The patients of a typical serv-
ice Of the hospital were secluded
put in solitary-for a total of
1000 hours per month two years
ago.
Drastically Cut
This has been reduced to an.
average Of from so hours per
month down to no hours now.
Innovations are being made
which have never been thought
possible by the stats of many
other mental institutions Much
OF this, DR.. Hoffman, pointed
out. is due to the calming in
tiuence of the drugs.
Most male patients may shave
themselves. To put a razor in
the hands of a mental patient