Thomas William Salmon

[1] At that time, Federal law excluded entry of immigrants with evidence of mental illness, feeble mindedness, epilepsy, or criminal background.

He was unsuccessful and was transferred to a Public Health Service hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts where he practiced general medicine for four years.

On his return, he recommended to the Public Health Service that a hospital ship be provided to give medical care to the northeastern fishing communities.

Salmon organized statistical surveys and helped to devise a uniform system of reporting admissions and discharges.

He wrote and published a book in 1909 titled A Mind that Found Itself which received favorable comments from lay and professional groups.

Beers served as Secretary and Salmon became the Director of Special Surveys and his first task was to obtain information about conditions in state mental hospitals.

In 1915, Salmon was given the title of Medical Director of the National Committee for Mental Hygiene and he resigned from the Public Health Service.

The following year, Salmon went to England to study hospital care for soldiers suffering from “shell shock” which was then considered a war-related neurosis.

Based on his successes in France, Salmon became an advocate for use of reconstruction aides in the treatment of soldiers suffering from functional war neuroses.

Beginning in 1920, Salmon worked with Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Fund to help create a juvenile delinquency research program and start clinics that offered services to children with emotional or behavioral problems.

[1] Salmon left the National Committee for Mental Hygiene in January 1922 and ended his work for the Commonwealth Fund later that year.