Hints towards the Prevention of Mental Disorders

Extract

Every physician in charge of a hospital for the insane should do all in his power to aid in the advance of mental physiology, mental pathology, and physiological psychology, not only for his own immediate benefit as a study; but with the intent of reaching a better knowledge of the mental processes, and elucidating, as far as possible, the recondite problems of mind. These require careful and exact study, but that study will give power to the individual, while it will enable him more definitely to trace the intricate connection of cause and effect in the cases which call for his examination. It is certain that the more thoroughly these processes are studied the better will be the effect of treatment, and the more satisfactory will be the result to the patient and to the physician. He will learn more fully that while medical study than it has yet received; and by the knowledge thus obtained a way will be found for the more scientific application of medical, moral, and hygienic measures than they have heretofore received.