Read ebook Nineteenth and Twentieth Century American Asylums and Hospitals : Postcards, Public Perception, and Purpose by Alma Wynelle Deese FB2, DOC
9781937378738 English 193737873X In the nineteenth century, several institutions were established in the United States to house and care for the mentally ill. By 1880, 139 "asylums" and "mental hospitals" had been created using both private and public funds, and by 1890, every state had built one or more publicly supported mental hospitals. Although early American asylums were often underfunded and crowded, they were often one of the few options for those suffering from mental illness. These large and grandiose facilities could therefore serve as a place of refuge. In addition, these asylums were significant places for research and teaching in early medicine, psychiatry, and psychology. Postcard production blossomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, coinciding with the establishment of many "state lunatic hospitals." Featuring more than 300 images of early public and private asylums as presented in picture postcards, this book offers a fascinating view of these grand structures, the expansive grounds and gardens they occupied, and their unique architectural features. The images are accompanied by brief historical descriptions of each institution, along with information about their current status. Together, the images and text offer the reader an opportunity to explore the space and places of early mental health care of the United States., The process of American psychiatric care started with the development of lunatic asylums during the early nineteenth century. There were 122 state-supported lunatic asylums opened in the United States before 1900. Most histories of early asylums have been lost except for the significant or unusual ones. Tracing the history of these early institutions, which emphasized care for the common patient, will allow current researchers to understand the actions and attitudes that previously doomed such programs, saving time and money. This book reveals, through old postcards, how the early asylums appeared to the public, how they were advertised, what activities and buildings were created for specific purposes in the process of caring for the insane of society, and how patients were transported to the facilities. In order to give a broader sense of place, images of the asylums' entrances or gates, the grounds, inside views, and staff housing of these facilities are detailed.
9781937378738 English 193737873X In the nineteenth century, several institutions were established in the United States to house and care for the mentally ill. By 1880, 139 "asylums" and "mental hospitals" had been created using both private and public funds, and by 1890, every state had built one or more publicly supported mental hospitals. Although early American asylums were often underfunded and crowded, they were often one of the few options for those suffering from mental illness. These large and grandiose facilities could therefore serve as a place of refuge. In addition, these asylums were significant places for research and teaching in early medicine, psychiatry, and psychology. Postcard production blossomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, coinciding with the establishment of many "state lunatic hospitals." Featuring more than 300 images of early public and private asylums as presented in picture postcards, this book offers a fascinating view of these grand structures, the expansive grounds and gardens they occupied, and their unique architectural features. The images are accompanied by brief historical descriptions of each institution, along with information about their current status. Together, the images and text offer the reader an opportunity to explore the space and places of early mental health care of the United States., The process of American psychiatric care started with the development of lunatic asylums during the early nineteenth century. There were 122 state-supported lunatic asylums opened in the United States before 1900. Most histories of early asylums have been lost except for the significant or unusual ones. Tracing the history of these early institutions, which emphasized care for the common patient, will allow current researchers to understand the actions and attitudes that previously doomed such programs, saving time and money. This book reveals, through old postcards, how the early asylums appeared to the public, how they were advertised, what activities and buildings were created for specific purposes in the process of caring for the insane of society, and how patients were transported to the facilities. In order to give a broader sense of place, images of the asylums' entrances or gates, the grounds, inside views, and staff housing of these facilities are detailed.