The after care of the insane : a history of its development and a discussion of its nature and value as an agency in the prevention of mental disorders, together with a plan for its practical application in Connnecticut and other chosen fields / by Clifford W. Beers.

  • Clifford Whittingham Beers
Date:
[1909]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The after care of the insane : a history of its development and a discussion of its nature and value as an agency in the prevention of mental disorders, together with a plan for its practical application in Connnecticut and other chosen fields / by Clifford W. Beers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    Princeton; Francis G. Peabody, Cambridge; Dr. Frederick Peterson, New York; George Wharton Pepper, Philadelphia; Henry Phipps, New York; Gifford Pinchot, Washington; Jacob A. Riis, New York; Jacob Gould Schurman, Ithaca; Dr. M. Allen Starr, New York; Anson Phelps Stokes, Jr., New Haven; Melville E. Stone, New York; Robert W. Tayler, Cleveland; Sherman D. Thacher, Nordhoff, Cal.; Henry van Dyke, D.D., Princeton; Dr. Henry P. Walcott, Cambridge; Dr. William H. Welch, Baltimore; Gen. Walter Wyman, Washington; Benjamin Ide Wheeler, Berkeley, Cal.; Robert A. Woods, Boston. Outside of the State of New York, the only organized medical and lay effort to engage in the work of After Care in this country has, within the past year, been made in Connecticut by the Connecticut Society for Mental Hygiene. This organization, the first of its kind founded, and the forerunner of The National Committee for Mental Hygiene, is formulating a plan for After-Care, which, when completely worked out, will, it is believed, be the most comprehensive and effective yet put into practice anywhere. With a view to instruct- ing the general public and awakening its interest in the subject of After-Care, The Connecticut Society for Mental Hygiene plans to issue a pamphlet in which After Care and Prevention will be discussed, especial emphasis being laid on their value in relation to the recovered patient, to his relatives and friends, to the hospital officials, and to the community at large. Part of the contents of this forth-coming pam- phlet, written by the Executive Secretary of the Society, is herewith incorporated: Through the intelligent ministrations of an efficient After-Care Committee the recovered patient can be taught to avoid those condi- tions which helped produce the initial attack of mental disorder. He can also be taught to guard against all dangers which might tend to undermine his mental health. Such instruction given immediately preceding his discharge from the hospital makes it possible for the After-Care worker in charge of the case to establish such friendly rela- tions with the patient as to secure his continued co-operation after he has again taken up his work in the world. The assistance given a recovered patient should not, however, consist solely of words of ad- vice. The After-Care Committee should help him find work of a sort which will tend to make permanent his recovery and, if pecuniary as- sistance be needed, and is deserved, a reasonable amount of money should be advanced for his benefit, preferably in the form of a loan, with the understanding that he shall reimburse the Committee when able to do so. Freedom from worry regarding his future will go far toward preventing the relapse of a discharged patient.
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