PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS — SECTION F. Ill 



In dealing with this group of disorders we have, therefore, 

 always to reckon with the reciprocal reaction between the per- 

 sonality of the patient and the circumstances he had to face. 

 Prevention of the disease would be possible in a great number of 

 cases if either the circumstances could be ameliorated, or if the 

 power of the individual to meet and to cope with difficulties could 

 be strengthened. There can be little doubt that the incidence of 

 various kinds of mental disorders has increased considerably 

 during the last century. I do not think it is possible not to 

 ascribe this, at least partly, to the ever-increasing difficulties and 

 complications of the economic relations in the world. We cannot 

 liope to bring about effective changes in this economic evolution. 

 But much good could be achieved if sound and expert advice were 

 sought more regularly with regard to the careers to be followed 

 by young people, and, if in individual cases, careers which are 

 evidently unsuitable would be strongly advised against. 



With regard to the strengthening of the individuals, I am 

 convinced that much more could and ought to be done in the 

 future than has been done in the past. Next to physical hygiene, 

 we ought to study and to adopt the principle of personal mental 

 hygiene. And where this would be of advantage even to the 

 strongest and best-balanced minds among us, it becomes essential 

 and of vital importance to those people, who, on account of pecu- 

 liarities in their mental equipment, are possible candidates for 

 functional disorders. Many of these peculiarities can be noticed 

 already by careful observation in early life ; and a more extensive 

 and intensive study of child-mentaFity in the schools would ulti- 

 mately yield most valuable results, and in many cases it might 

 show the way to prevent a subsequent mental or nervous break- 

 down by means of individual guidance and special advice. It is 

 also not impossible that in this manner we would succeed in the 

 prevention of the development in some cases of schizophrenia. 



It would lead me too far if I were to do more than to touch 

 upon the vitally interesting subject of heredity. The older 

 alienists already knew of its great importance. Although our 

 knowledge has increased in some respects, still many doubtful 

 points remain. For instance, it is at present not possible to 

 assess approximately the chances there are for a certain individual 

 with a tainted personal or family history of transmitting this 

 taint to his children. 



There is one condition, however, about which we are in a 

 position to speak with much more knowledge and authority with 

 regard to heredity, and that is mental defect. Here we know for 

 certain, that in more than 50 per cent, this condition is due to 

 faulty inheritance. If we succeed by means of segregation _ in 

 not allowing the feeble-minded to propagate their defective 

 species, the future incidence of this condition will decrease by 

 over 50 per cent. 



Summarising, we can say that if only effective measures 

 could be carried out, in future all the psychoses due to drugs, 

 alcohol and syphilis might be prevented. Further, a great part 



