Nineteenth & Twentieth Century American Asylums & Hospitals: Postcards, Public Perception & Purpose

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 emphasised 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.