TREATMENT IN EARLY TIMES

In the lower stages of civilization it was not uncommon for the feeble and the helpless to be put to death, even sickly children and persons infirm from old age.  This was done in the name of community interest.  The struggle for existence was so severe that the presence of non-producing or non-fighting members endangered the entire group.  Besides, it was the belief in most cases that the sacrifice of the helpless simply hastened their passage into a happier life.

REDUCING THE WASTAGE OF HUMAN LIFE

Humane considerations now prevent such treatment of the helpless.  Moreover, with our increased skill in medicine and surgery and education, the diseased and defective may often be restored to health or fitted for some form of self-support that makes them happier and of use to the community.  The wastage of human life has been greatly reduced in recent years.  Many of the soldiers who returned from the war in Europe so broken in body or mind that in former times they would have dragged out the remainder of their lives a burden to themselves and to others have, by surgical skill and special forms of education, been restored wholly or partially to the ranks of the self-supporting and useful members of the community.  This rehabilitation of the dependent and defective members of the community, whether their misfortune is due to war or other causes, is the chief aim of the treatment given them by the community at the present time.

RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH COMMUNITY

It is an accepted principle that each community should, so far as possible, care for its own unfortunates, and the effectiveness with which it is done varies.  But everywhere it has taken a long time to change from the old policy of mere relief to the new policy of rehabilitation (see above).

THE LOCAL ALMSHOUSE AND ITS DEFECTS

In New England and in a few other states the town, or township, is the unit for administering “poor relief,” but elsewhere it is the county.  The “almshouse,” or “poor farm,” or “county infirmary” is the usual local institution for this purpose.  Unfortunately it has been, as a rule, badly managed.  Men and women, old people and children, healthy and diseased, blind and crippled, moral and immoral, even the insane, have been housed together, often mingling with one another with little restriction.  The evils of such a system are apparent.

SHORT-SIGHTED POLICY

Moreover, the policy of the typical almshouse has been merely to give shelter and food and clothing to those who appeal for it, rather than to remedy the causes of dependency or to restore the unfortunate to a basis of self-support and usefulness.  Medical treatment is of course given, but the means do not exist to give special expert treatment to particular classes of defectives.  Little educational opportunity worthy of the name is afforded.  While able-bodied inmates usually have some work to do, it is seldom of a character to train for self-support or to create habits of industry.