Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

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The medical profession is coming to recognize the therapeutic properties of the film MOTION PICTURE THERAPY Henry W. Salus, M. D. 'Founder and Medical Director, Salus Private Hospital, Johnstown, Pennsylvania MOTION pictures of the suitable and selected kind will be found to be a great aid in the treatment of certain classes of cases, especially those pertaining to the nervous system. While this method of procedure is still in its infancy, a great amount of benefit seems to be derived from the practical application of this one form of treatment. For the past year I have conducted a series of experiments which have proved to my satisfaction that many patients who were benefited by the use of motion pictures would not have been helped by any other form of treatment. To begin with, there are two essential things in the treatment of nervous disorders that have always been neglected. They are a thorough study of the attitude of the patient toward the nurse and of the nurse toward the patient. I have in preparation at this time scenarios for two reels of film, one entitled "Treatment of the Patient," and the other "Treatment of the Nurse." The film "Treatment of the Patient" will endeavor to teach the nurse her attitude toward patients of the different types of nervous disorders. It will be a course of instruction also in the manner of giving baths, massages, medication, preparation of the patients for comfort during rest hours, etc. The film entitled "Treatment of the Nurse" will be designed to teach the patients how to get the best results from the nurse through acts of kindness, their attitute toward the nurse, and their attitude toward their surroundings. In my experience I have found that nervous patients, even those of the better walks of life, need much instruction for their own benefit. In the first place, a nurse is not necessarily a servant, even though she must earn her own livelihood. She must be regarded as a professional person and ofttimes a companion. I have known patients to be admitted to my private hospital and remain for a period of from one to three months ; and during all this time, as residents of the hospital and under the care of nurses, they have insisted on making complaints of all sorts against the nurses, against treatment, against medication, and in general against everything. But upon the day of their discharge from the hospital they have showered expensive gifts on the nurses and all the hospital attaches. This has always seemed to me like building a house, and trying to put the roof on before the foundation is built. I shall try to picture to the patients the means of getting the best results by behaving in such a manner that they become friendly to all those who are interested in their health and welfare. In regard to the treatment of special forms of nervous disorders we will mention neurasthenia. One of the greatest aids in the treatment of this mental condition is the treatment outlined by the noted physician and writer, Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, of Philadelphia, which is known as the S. Weir Mitchell Rest Cure. This includes absolute rest in bed, massage, electricity, special diet, special hours for reading, special hours for recreation, and special hours for being read to by the nurse. So far as this treatment goes it has been very successful and also hard to improve upon. Application of the Modern Treatment Still, I have discovered a way in which to make this treatment even better by using motion pictures of a selected type instead of allowing the patients to read themselves or having them read to by a nurse. It has been my experience that patients suffering from this ailment cannot concentrate upon the subjects they are reading, or, if so at all, not sufficiently to be of much value. Again, if their concentration is fair or even good they tire very easily and lay their book aside in a very few moments. On the other hand, it is most difficult to select nurses who are interesting readers. In fact interesting readers are very rare, because even readers do not find interest in reading to a lone patient who has a twitching, fidgety nervous disorder. Thus I have greatly improved the S. Weir Mitchell treatment by substituting motion pictures for the reading to and the reading by a patient. Of course the subjects must be carefully selected — no small matter ! The patients must be studied, their likes and dislikes determined, and they must be interrogated rather cautiously as to the kind of pictures they like best. Then again these must pass our own censorship so that we may ascertain whether or not the subject that we are going to show will excite or otherwise interfere with the patient's recovery. For example, we will quote the following instances : We had in our hospital a woman suffering from a nervous breakdown. The young woman was very much interested in cartooning and in drawing pen pictures. She had been at some time prior a student in one of the correspondence schools for pen and ink drawing. In this case we were fortunate enough to get hold of some of Bert Levy's Cartoon Films. This seemed to meet with favor, and the patient recovered so rapidly that in a very short time we were able to show her films of the most vivid type of melodrama without affecting her nervous condition in the least. I wish to say here, however, that dramas in most cases must be eliminated entirely, or if used at all must be used very cautiously and prescribed with care. In some cases also I have found that comedies are looked upon as nonsense and are not very well borne by the patient. The best results have been obtained from educational films, historical films, and films relating to the particular occupation in which the patient may be or at some time in his life has been engaged. If the patient takes kindly to these films, and his general nervous condition as well as his general health improves, the before-censored films may be gradually enlisted. To give further examples I will quote a case of a patient who was a professional masseur. This patient was first shown a film that was loaned me by the Crown Chemical Company, which was entitled "Skin Deep" and dealt with massaging of the face, etc. It was reproduced in a story form so that it was interesting as well as instructive. Another patient, who was interested in mechanics, was shown a film entitled "The Porcelain Lamp." This film was sent me by the Cole Motor Company and was, while instructive, very entertaining, (Continued on page 24) 14