The Social Significance of Mental Disease and 



Defect 



By Helen Hunt Andeews, A.M., Head of the Social Service Department in 

 the City Hospital, Louisville, Ky. 



INTRODUCTION 



The Social Service Dej)artment of India ua University began 

 its work in September, 1911, with one worker and an office in the 

 School of Medicine bnilding, where the Indianapolis City Dis- 

 pensary is located. It was thought that here was a field for 

 research work as a basis for future sociological study. Further- 

 more, the Department could at the same time carry on a work of 

 education and prevention. The work of aiding in the care and 

 cure of the patients was its first business, as it is the business of 

 all medical social service. Along with this, from the very first, 

 records of the patients were carefully and fully kept to be used 

 as teaching material. 



With the opening of the Robert W. Long Hospital in 1914 

 the main office of the Department was moved to that building, a 

 branch office being retained in the School of Medicine building. 

 The Department employs a hospital worker who takes care of 

 the patients referred to her there, and a state worker who follows 

 these patients into their homes out in the state to see that they 

 are carrying out the doctor's orders, to get family histories or 

 facts of the environment, to report to the doctor and put upon 

 the record. All records of these cases are kept and used as mate- 

 rial for sociological study. 



A committee of interested individuals in the city of Indian- 

 apolis maintains the office at the City Dispensary and employs 

 the worker there. ^ As both offices are under the direction of Dr. 

 Edna G. Henry, they work together and the records of each are 

 accessible to the other. 



iFrom Ji;ly 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919, funds were supplied by the War Chest. 



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