which Dr
Clouston provides, though not in so many words, the
definition I have italicized is psychologically a little
superficial. Mental inhibition, generally, needs dividing
into self-control and, say, auto-control. Where one man may
_self-control_ himself by an effort of will, another man,
in the same predicament, might _auto-control_ himself
instinctively, without a conscious effort of will. Which is
the saner, and likelier to remain so, under ordinary
circumstances and under extraordinary circumstances, would be
most difficult to determine. Many people are only sane in
action because they know that they are insane in impulse, and
take measures accordingly. They keep a sane front to the
world by legislating pretty sternly for themselves.

[Sidenote: _SOCIAL HYGIENE_]

It is too gratuitously assumed by law-makers (_i.e._ agitators for
legislation as well as legislators) that the poor man is woefully
deficient in inhibition and must be legislated for at every turn.
Because, for instance, he furnishes the police courts with the
majority of 'drunks and disorderlies,' he is treated as a born
drunkard, to be sedulously protected against himself, regardless of
such facts as (1) there is more of him to get drunk, (2) he prefers
'going on the bust' to the more insidious dram-drinking and drugging,
(3) he has more cause to get drunk, (4) he gets drunk publicly, (5)
tied-house beer and cheap liquors stimulate to disorderliness more
than good liquor. The truth is that the poor have a great deal of
self-restraint, quite as much probably as their law-makers; but it is
exercised in different directions and, possibly, is somewhat frittered
away in small occasions. The poor man has so much more bark than bite.
He fails to restrain his cuss-words for example--but then cuss-words
were invented to impress fools. There is much in his life that would
madden his law-makers, and _vice versa_. If control is the cement of
every social system and if it is the highest aim of mental hygiene, it
follows that control should be the highest aim of legislation and
custom, which together make up social hygiene. And--always remembering
that control is of all virtues the one which strengthens with use and
withers with disuse--every piece of new legislation should be most
carefully examined as to its probable effect on the