The Shame of the States

Recent years have seen exposes of the deficiencies of our state hospitals for the mentally disturbed. Such novels as "The Snake Pit" and "The Stubborn Wood" have focused public attention on the deficiencies in custodial and medical care. This book is certainly not a sober approach to its subject. It is a startling exposé in every way, from the language used to the pictures. Most of the American public became aware of the situation whenLifemagazine filled a whole section with similar pictures and legends. Already there are powerful movements toward improvement in the situation. However, the situation is bad not so much for lack of knowledge of its nature and scope as for inability to enlist sufficient public interest and public funds to bring about needed improvement. In his final chapter Deutsch says that not a single state mental hospital in the whole country meets all the minimum