Batesville Daily Guard

SEES GROWTH OF LUNACY

Dr. Forbes Winslow Declares There

Will Be More Insane Than Sane

in 300 Years.

London. There will be more lunatics in the world than sane people three hundred years hence, was the prophecy Dr. Forbes Winslow made.

This prophecy is based upon the present rate of the growth of lunacy as revealed by recent returns.

Doctor Winslow expressed strong disagreement with the statement made at the Eugenics congress by Doctor Mott to the effect that increase in lunacy was more apparent than real, and told a press representative that in making such a statement Doctor Mott apparently referred to London only. Dr. Forbes Winslow said that from his knowledge of the progress of lunacy in all parts of the world he had come to the conclusion that "we are rapidly approaching a mad world." He added: "In every part of the world civilization is advancing, and so insanity is also bound to advance. There were 36,762 registered lunatics in 1859, but 135,000 at the present day. That showed the alarming increase."

If Doctor Mott's theory is accepted, we shall wake up when it is too late to prevent a further increase. What happened to the pauper class in London, as an alleged proof against the real increase of lunacy, was very much beside the question, taken as a whole. Fifty years ago there was one lunatic in 575 of the population, but now one in 236. At that rate of progress, he said, in three hundred years' time there would be more lunatics in the world than sane people.