CONCLUSION 



Mental disease qnd defect is a social as well as a medical 

 problem. Because i*^ is so widespread thruout the country, 

 embracing all classes, ^ more general knowledge of its cause and 

 effect in its social aspects is desirable. The social worker, who 

 almost daily is brought i»i contact with cases of mental disorder, 

 can be an efficient aid in \he work of prevention and cure. How- 

 ever, the small group of phjsicians and social workers alone can- 

 not cope with this great pioblem with satisfying results. An 

 intelligent public which undtrstands some of the fundamental 

 principles underlying the soci^J maladjustment of the mentally 

 diseased and defective is necessary to the establishment of social 

 control over them. 



The feeble-minded are anti-social reason of their deficiency. 

 Economically, they represent a large portion of the pauper class 

 receiving public relief. They contribute to criminality mostly by 

 accumulation of petty crimes and offei^es frequently repeated 

 regardless of punishment. Lacking in i-itiative and unable to 

 foresee the logical results of their acts, tLy easily fall prey to 

 the shrewd expert who uses them for his toc^^ Morally, lacking 

 the inhibiting forces of mind and will and governed only by 

 their coarser appetites, they fall victims of vicv r^^d continue to 

 lead its life. In school, unable to keep up with normal fel- 

 lows, they lose interest and become discourager. They are a 

 retarding influence to the other pupils. Placed in s^ej^l schools, 

 where they may learn manual tasks and have more t^eedom and 

 individual attention, their interest is awakened and Uof^i train- 

 ing is given. 



It is the high-grade feeble-minded, moron, who is social 

 menace and should have institutional care for life. Th* lower 

 grades, tho entirely useless members of society, seldom pro gate 

 themselves, and their number would decrease if procreatiu of 

 the morons were prevented. The colony plan for care of tage 

 subnormal persons, whereby they may receive useful train 

 and take part in their community life within the colony und^ 

 careful supervision, is generally advocated. With adequate iist 

 tutions in each state, in one generation a large part of the feeble- 

 mindedness would be stamped out. However, in 1916 there T^ere 

 sixteen states having no public institutions for the care of the 

 feeble-minded, and the e^^isting institutions in other states vere 



(52 



