The Harrisburg State Hospital, formerly the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital and Union Asylum for the Insane was Pennsylvania's first public facility for the mentally ill and disabled. The hospital was founded on April 14, 1845. The hospital served 12 surrounding counties on its 101 acre farm in West Philadelphia.
What was it's original intent?
The original intent for this asylum was to care for individuals with mental illness since facilities previously were not equipped to treat patients with mental illness. With the Industrial Revoultion came many people from rural areas into the cities, and with the expansion of the city came an expansion of mental illness. Government control over many services, such as banks, railroads, hospitals also came about, along with the idea that the care for those with mental illness should be handled by the state government. With the help of Dorothea Dix and her lobbying efforts, the hospital was created in 1845.
Who were the patients there?
Patients from all parts of the state would be accepted at the hospital, at the expense of the counties that they belonged; or, if able they would pay for themselves at a cost of $2.50 per week. This cost included board and medical attention. The boarding charges for private patients were scheduled to vary between $3.00 and $10.00 based upon ability to pay. Depending on the time, patients from other hospitals overcrowded or shut down would inhabit the hospital,victims of the Civil War in need of medical attention, and criminals were listed as staying at the hospital.
What was the patients' experience like in that institution, and did that change over the course of the institution's history?
Life at the hospital during the early twentieth century was a community environment, the hospital had grown into a small city. Patients worked all over the hospital as part of their occupational therapy. During the warm months they would care for the grounds, mowing grass and tending to flower beds. In the winter months they would shovel snow from the walkways. Patients worked on the farm, which supplied the hospital with all the food it needed, everything from meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables were produced. The Central Kitchen stored and prepared all the meals for the patients and staff. Broom making and chair caning took place in the basement of the Chapel and a "toy factory" was established in the basement of the Male Chronic Building. Small shops in other buildings around the hospital produced mattresses, pillows, awning, window shades, and "indestructible" blankets. In 1926 a tailor shop was established, it produced suits, pants, and coats. The practice of patients working at the hospital was called occupational therapy, the work was meant to keep an excited mind busy and it was thought to give meaning to patients that would otherwise be sitting idly somewhere in a dayroom. Most of the items that were made at the hospital were used at the hospital and if there were excess items they would be sold at local markets, the money made was put back into the hospital budget.When patients were not working or undergoing treatments they often participated in hospital activities. There were weekly dances in the Sun Parlor a moving picture show in the Chapel, and a hospital band and orchestra made up of both staff and patients. Each ward had it's own organ or piano. Many patients also had radios or phonographs. There was also a library that could be visited by male and female patients at different times.
How did the institution, its services, and patients change over time?
The early 20th century was a time of great change for the Hospital. Between the years 1893 and 1912 the hospital was completely rebuilt following the newly developed cottage plan design. In the early years treatment was focused around fresh air, rest, good food, and hydrotherapy. In the 1930's when the Department of Public Welfare was created there came new treatments, shock treatments and surgery. The hospital was crowded, but conditions were still good. New buildings were established for different types of treatment on the grounds. At its peak the hospital consumed over 1,000 acres and included more than 70 buildings.Like other institutions Harrisburg State Hospital’s patient population began to fall in the late 20th century. This was due to new medicines being developed and finally deinstitutionalization.
How many people lived and worked and died there?
The original capacity was 250 patients, but at one time there was 2,441 patients, There were three cemetaries in total, but I could not find a record of how many people died or were buried there.
Were bad conditions ever exposed to the public? How?
I did not come across any information about bad conditions, just overcrowding and the use of radical treatments. Most of the information I found agreed that the hospital really tried to make the stay for patients comfortable and home like, offering many sorts of jobs and activities for the patients.
http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php?title=Harrisburg_State_Hospital
http://hsh.thomas-industriesinc.com/Building_Kirk_2_Firstdays.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment