ation of chronic invalids, shut
off as they are from the objective interests and activities of normal
life, deprived of all practice in making the salutary small adjustments
and sacrifices required in every day living with other people, and
self-centered as they necessarily tend to become from the inevitable
focusing of attention upon their own discomforts and pain.

On the whole, a surprisingly large number of invalids successfully
resist the disintegrating effects of sickness upon character. But it is
nevertheless true, as Dr. Weir Mitchell says, that "Sickness ennobles a
few but debases many." A selfish invalid has more than once destroyed
the happiness of an entire family, or spoiled the life of one member of
it by monopolizing her whole time and attention. Families should
remember that their injudicious sacrifices seldom bring enduring
happiness or contentment to the patient himself; indeed, in the long run
such sacrifices generally injure him even more than they injure his
victims. Clearly much must and should be sacrificed by members of a
family to the needs of an invalid; but in general it may be said that a
sacrifice is injudicious if it relieves the patient of activity or
responsibility that he can support without injury, if it makes him more
dependent in mind or body, if it results in restricting his attention to
himself and his affairs, or if it increases his tendency to make demands
on others.

Purposeful activity of some sort and the necessity for contributing to
the welfare of others are essential parts of a wholesome life. If these
essentials are entirely eliminated from the life of an invalid, the
patient's greatest needs are probably left unsatisfied, even though the
physical care he receives may be perfect in every detail. All that was
said in regard to occupations for invalids applies with particular force
to occupations for chronic patients, since however valuable manual
occupations may be as a means to bring about recovery, they are still
more valuable in furnishing interest and purpose in a life whose only
prospect is a succession of weary, useless years. Handicapped patients
sometimes learn occupations that yield a financial return, and ability
to earn even a little stimulates self respect and mental health, whether
the money is needed or not. The important point, however, is that the
finished product should have a recognized use.

In addition to enabling the patient to make things with his han