The Massachusetts Society for Mental Hygiene, which held a conference in Boston, March 31st to April 4th, printed in connection with its announcements of the meetings the following suggestions for the protection of mental health, which were reprinted in the Monthly Bulletin of the New York State Department of Health, April, 1913. Only the mentally and physically fit should beget and bear children. The marriage of closely related persons should be avoided. Children of grossly intemperate parents are liable to be imbecile or epileptic, and may inherit a nervous system unable to cope successfully with the conditions of our complex civilization. Children of feeble minded, imbecile, or epileptic parents are liable to be feeble minded, imbecile, or epileptic ‐‐almost certainly, if both parents are defective. Children of parents, one of whom is or has been insane, are liable to inherit a constitution that leads to insanity; and many, though apparently normal, transmit to their children this predisposition; the liability is greater if both parents are thus affected.

Train your child to thorough cleanliness both of mind and body. Bad companions as well as common towels, common drinking cups, and the like should be avoided because there is danger of contagion, both physical and mental. Give your child a variety of well cooked wholesome food in ample quantity at regular intervals. Train your child to healthful habits of sleep in fresh air, giving opportunity for at least nine hours, and for more than that before the age of twelve. Avoid conditions that tend to produce over‐strain or precocity. The special business of a young child is to grow and to play with other children. Give your child opportunity for a variety of wholesome activities and interests. Train your child to work hard in some regular occupation suited to his ability and talents, but to avoid extreme fatigue by alternation of work and rest. Train your child to give attention to the present situation and not to worry about the past or the future. Train your child to strict obedience in a few important matters and let him alone in regard to other things. Train your child to avoid drugs and stimulants of all kinds. Protect your child from shocks. Do not frighten him yourself or let other people do so. If your child becomes worried and sleepless or has muscular twitchings or the like, consult a competent physician at once. The best method of training is example; and what is good for your child is usually good for you.

Take advice of a competent person concerning the peculiar sensitive, or nervous child, in order to correct a possibly bad inheritance by proper education and environment. The intemperate use of alcohol is a contributing or causative factor of several forms of insanity in the individual predisposed thereto. The habitual use of the habit forming drugs, especially those of the sedative and hypnotic type, may cause delirium or insanity.

Remembering that syphilis, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, measles, tuberculosis, influenza, heart, kidney, and other diseases are not infrequently contributing factors in insanity or mental and nervous breakdown, it behooves you to see that the health regulations of your community are kept abreast of modern standards of efficiency and to seek early a physician's advice when illness invades your home. A contagious and infectious germ disease known as syphilis is the direct cause of three kinds of brain disease, which represents at least one‐tenth of the admissions to insane hospitals. Most of them are characterized by a progressive failure of mind and body, which ends in death in a few years. Syphilis has other ill effects on the individual and may be transmitted to the next generation. Most cases of insanity caused by syphilis are incurable by any means now known to medical science. Do not allow diffidence or similar feelings to prevent you from promptly seeking competent medical advice concerning sexual, ethical, emotional, or mental problems which perplex you.

Remember that the mental equilibrium of many persons is endangered by the high pressure of our twentieth century civilization‐‐be thoughtful of them. Try to get a little recreation every day, and a vacation oftener than once a year. Try to keep your weight up to that regarded as “standard" for your height. Cultivate a cheerful, generous, and charitable disposition. There are many forms of insanity; a large percentage is preventable, and a considerable proportion curable. Observe the few well established and simple rules of health concerning food, sleep, exercise, bathing, and recreation. Avoid alcohol, drugs, immoral living, venereal diseases, great mental or physical stress, and excesses of all kinds. Be temperate in all things.