The Bathtub Test *

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director “How

do you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized”

“Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a

teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to

empty the bathtub.”

“Oh, I understand,” said the visitor. “A normal person would use the

bucket because it’s bigger than the spoon or the teacup.”

“No.” said the Director, “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?”