Yet last month, Mrs. A. opened her eyes, uncovered her head and talked with a volunteer. "That's the same dress you had on last Friday, isn't it?" she said. "It's very pretty." When a volunteer asked her why she had hidden her eyes, she replied that she "did not like to look at all the strange things in the world."
None of the volunteers claim that Mrs. A. has been "cured," but they can rightly feel that something has been accomplished. As one of them put it, "At times you feel that you have really found something of value."
'We Play Games'
The Superintendent of Metropolitan State, William F. McLaughlin, M.D., describes the contributions of the volunteers in another way. "We don't have enough doctors and nurses to reach all the patients. And even if we did, we still don't know the real answer to curing the patients. But if you create a normal environment and activity program--as the volunteers do--the patients respond. It is the beginning of getting their trust again, and often it is a spring-board to a cure."
More and more of the patients are responding and giving their trust to the volunteers. One of the activities of the volunteers that is appealing to many is the hospital newspaper, "Metrolog." "C. G.," one of the women in "G-3," recently wrote a short article in the mimeographed paper expressing her thanks to the volunteers:
"The boys and girls from Harvard come to see us," she wrote. "We enjoy having them with us. We play games. Today they brought some paint for our fingers. Ellen combed and set my hair. We also play cards. They take us out walking and we have interesting conversations. It is very nice to see such a fine class of boys and girls."
The project at the adult wards, however, helps only a small fraction of the 1,700 patients; a more comprehensive and integrated program exists at the children's division of Metropolitan State. There, about 100 volunteers can concentrate their efforts on 110 psychotic children. Directed by John Liebeskind '57, Roy Shulman '56, and Karen Wilk '58, the work in the children's unit is generally considered one of the volunteers' most outstanding achievements.
Since treatment for psychotic children is still in its early stages, the volunteers can use great freedom in planning what they call "group specialty projects." Each volunteer leads from three to seven children in such activities as flinger painting, crafts, music appreciation, or newspaper writing.
Each volunteer goes to the hospital only once a week, but the larger ratio of volunteers to patients makes it possible for students to lead activities six afternoons and three evenings every week. This relatively close contact with the children makes the volunteers of considerable help to the doctors and nurses, who rely heavily on the students' written reports and frequent special discussion meetings.
Thaddeus P. Krush, M.D., clinical director of the children's unit, describes the volunteers' efforts as making the difference between a hospital "where the patients live, and one where they only exist." Mrs. Ruth E. Roman, chief psychiatric social worker, adds that "they not only solve the staff problems, but they have initiative and warmth which cannot be bought." She explained that the volunteers provide relief for the nurses and social workers, who can then devote more time to specialized medical care.
Dr. McLaughlin himself recently wrote a special letter commending the "splendid crusade for our youngsters.' "All the volunteers," he wrote, "have done well in situations new to them, have tried to understand the problems and frustrations in a state institution, and have shown patient friendliness at all times . . . children and staff alike look forward to a continued and rewarding relationship."
Besides ward work in both the adult and children's units at Metropolitan State, the volunteers have two other areas of activity. One is case work at Metropolitan State, and the other is limited ward work at Boston Psychopathic Hospital.
Boston Psycopathic is--along with the children's unit at Metropolitan State--one of the nation's outstanding mental institutions. Here, William C. Brady '57 leads a group of about ten volunteers in varied activities, including ping-pong, discussion groups, and again, newspaper work.
While volunteers need no preparation for ward work either at Boston Psycopathic or Metropolitan State, case work is a different matter. The 19 volunteers, led by Maeda Jurkowitz '56 and Michael Dohan '58, first participated in a four-week training program conducted by professional social workers, and then went to work helping patients who were able to leave the hispital adjust to community life again.
So far, volunteers have rehabilitated six out of 21 patients--one to a nursing home, three to their own homes, and two to jobs. They expect to return at least six more to the community by June.
The problem of placing patients back in society is difficult, but Metropolitan State Officials figure that 70 percent of all patients newly admitted to the hospital are out within a year.
Dr. McLaughlin maintains that the real problem is the "large back-log of patients who have been here