 Who is the 10th man? The 10th man is the one man out of every 10 persons in your community who needs or will need psychiatric help. If he goes to the mental hospital which is supported by your community, what is done for him? Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ralph Bellamy. You're listening to On Wings of Clay, a story about a pioneering profession that of occupational therapy. Now, by this time everybody knows that occupational therapy is an activity, mental or physical, prescribed by a physician for its healing value. We first heard of it during World War I, and it's now proven itself a valuable tool of medicine. That's what the textbooks say. But let's not overlook another fascinating aspect of this profession, the human side. The best way to tell you about that is with a story. So we'll begin. Good morning, Mr. Wells. Oh, hello there, Miss Brandon. Say, can I help you with those cans? Oh, would you please? They're pretty heavy. Boy, I'll say they are. Well, where do you want them? Ah, let's put them over there on that big table in the day room. Okay. There. Well, what is the Occupational Therapy Department up its sleeve today? You'll find out. Oh, this is the first time I've set up shop in this ward, isn't it? Yeah, I guess it is. But we've sent patients from here down to your class, and we get books from the library, but many of these patients have much of an interest in reading. Well, that's why Dr. Lewis wants to try some occupational therapy with those very depressed patients, especially those who can't be moved off the ward. Well, we have them here, all right. Look at them, all sitting around with their heads in their hands, not interested in anything. We'll try to get them interested in clay modeling. Say, I've always wanted to try that myself. Maybe I can use you for bait. Bait? When the patients see that you're enjoying yourself, they'll want to join you. Sit down. It sounds like fun, but you'd better not let the supervisor catch me. Well, we're doing all right, Ms. Brandon. There are nine patients at that table out there in the day room, and they're all busier than bees. Good. Of course, they're just playing with the clay, but we'll try to get them interested in something constructive soon. It's going to be pretty difficult with some of them. Mr. Fuller, for example. Fuller? Who's he? Look out there in the day room. Did his chair turn toward the wall? Oh, yes. All he does is sit like that, chair turned into the corner, hands folded in his lap, head down, carrying all the woes of the world on his shoulder. I wonder. Mr. Wells, suppose we took a piece of clay and just put it in his hands. I don't think he'd even notice it. Well, let's try it. What can we lose? Here's a lump of clay, Mr. Fuller. I'll just put it in your hands. Now let's leave him alone for a few minutes and see what he does about it. Just as long as he doesn't think it's taffy he needed. Look, he's handling it. He's rolling it into a ball. That's a funny one. I wonder what he'll do with it. Hard to say. He'll probably keep rolling it between his hands that way. That's about as much as we can expect for now, but it's a start. Well, Ms. Brandon, the clay modelers are ready and waiting for you today. They remembered all right. Fine. Now, today, instead of putting the clay into Mr. Fuller's hands, let's put it on that little table, the one to his left. Let's see if he's interested enough to turn around and reach for it. Okay, I'll try it. Oh, let's see. No. He wants it right in his hands. Looks like that fellow wants service. He sees it. Look, he's turning his chair around, reaching for the clay. He's interested, all right. Sam Fuller's chair stayed turned around. He now sat facing the ward, one step toward getting him interested in facing the world again. It was only a matter of days before he joined the other patients at the big table in the day room. But most important of all, Sam Fuller was talking. Miss... Miss... Oh, yes, Mr. Fuller? More clay, please. Well, of course. Here, help yourself. Thanks. Did you see Mr. Watkins, Scotty? Oh, it's really a first-rate job. Would you like to try one? No, I... I think I'll just make these. It's all right, isn't it? Crosses? Oh, yes, of course it's all right. They're very well-made crosses. Say, has that Fuller guy got some kind of religious mania? You mean because he makes all those crosses? Yeah. Have you told Dr. Lewis about it? Yes, in my report. He was quite interested. He said the cross was a symbol of suffering, and Mr. Fuller meant those crosses to symbolize his suffering. Oh? Yes. Dr. Lewis thinks it may help Mr. Fuller if he can express some of his feelings in clay. It's better than keeping everything pent up inside of him. Dr. Lewis said yesterday he was going to find some time to give him some psychiatric interviews now that he's started to talk again. It's such a thrill when a patient begins to improve with occupational therapy. Yet there are hundreds in this hospital like Mr. Fuller, whom we can't reach because we don't have enough occupational therapists to go around. Well, there must be more to this artsy craftsy stuff than meets the eye. From here on in, Sam Fuller's progress was slow, but steady. He gave up the crosses one day and started making pots and vases. In fact, he seemed so interested that Miss Brandon recommended him for the ceramics group, where he learned about glazing and firing. And several months later... You know, Mr. Fuller, if you hadn't warmed up to working with clay, I was going to suggest that you join my rug-making class. Oh, the rug-making stuff's all right, but this is for me. I'm glad you like it so much. Have you thought of keeping on with it after you leave here? After I leave here? No, I haven't been thinking much about that. Well, you've been transferred to a convalescent ward. It won't be long now. So you ought to give some thought to the future. My future? Oh, yes, you have one, you know. It's getting brighter all the time. Remember when you first started working with clay? Mm-hmm. I made crosses. I know why I did that now. Before that, you were content to roll the clay into balls, but now, where is your latest project, by the way? Right here. You've got a wet cloth on it. There's still some finishing touches needed before it goes into the kiln. There she is. My eagle. It's very good. Rather odd pose for an eagle, though, isn't it? Sitting on a perch with its wings folded and head down. But it's very well done. I like it. When are you going to finish it? Oh, one of these days. One of these days. Say, Miss Brandon, I hear one of your prized pupils has graduated. Oh, yes. Funny he didn't say goodbye to you. You had a lot to do with his getting well. Oh, that's all right. The main thing is that he has gotten well. Yeah, it's nice to see him recover enough to go home. Funny. What's that, Miss Brandon? I was in a ceramic shop this morning. His eagle was still there. I guess he didn't want to take it with him. Oh, you know how it is. A relative comes and signs a paper and off they go. They forget. But he was so interested in making things with clay. Oh, well, I hope he makes out all right. You're allowed to receive ex-patients as visitors in your office, Miss Brandon? Of course. How nice of you to come back. Let me see how long has it been? More than six months. How's the clay shop? Doing very well, thank you. But how are you doing? Oh, fine. I'm working now. I have got a good job. That's wonderful. Where? In a pottery factory near my hometown. So you're making pottery. Well, we're very pleased to have been able to help you find a new career. I was a little worried. I must admit, when you went away and left that eagle unfinished, I thought the pressure... Oh, that reminds me. I have a present for you. Oh, how nice. What is it? There. Ah. Made this at home. Why is it an eagle? A perfect little statue of an eagle that is so different from that other one. The one I left behind? Yeah, he was a pretty sad article. That one had its wings. Folded and its head down. This one has so much life, his wings outstretched, and he seems to be flying straight into the sun. That's the way I tried to make him. Full of life and free. Like you feel now, Mr. Fuller? I hadn't thought of it that way, but that's right. I guess the eagle's mean, Miss Brandon. The new Sam Fuller. I'm glad, Mr. Fuller. Oh, but I guess I'm just one more case history to you, Miss Brandon. You see things like this happening often. They could happen much more often than they do. There are hundreds here waiting for us to put the clay and tools into their hands. They've been waiting a long time. Well, can't you help them as you did me? No. There are too many of them and too few of us. Those hands are still empty. Like Sam Fuller, many patients have found a new and worthwhile life's work through occupational therapy. And many patients, not only mental ones, have been grateful for the helping hand extended to them through this kind of rehabilitation. Many a doctor has been grateful for this method of treatment, which enables him to build self-confidence in his patients. The need for more occupational therapy in our hospitals is great. The demand for trained workers in this field is far greater than the present supply. What is the occupational therapy situation like in your hospitals? It's your duty and your right to know. You have just heard Ralph Bellamy as narrator in On Wings of Clay, produced by the National Mental Health Foundation and presented through the cooperation of other organizations dedicated to conserving mental health.