—In several books of the Mountain Women Series I’ve mentioned the Weston State Hospital in West Virginia, (formerly the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum), now closed.
In its early years, reasons for committing people to that institution were often sad, capricious and downright criminal. The attached image, which I copied from a brochure, shows a list of some of those reasons. Take a look. They’re hard to believe!
Today the facility is a tourist attraction. See it at http://www.trans-alleghenylunaticasylum.com/
My grandmother was committed to the Ypsilanti mental hospital in 1955 because of her erratic behavior. Most likely, she suffered from Alzheimer’s. She died there.
Stories like that are so sad. I hope in 1955 the hospital treatment was vastly improved then.
Of that I’m not certain, but I’m sure they gave her those awful electric shock treatments which probably did nothing except worsen her condition. I was very young and only have one memory of her. We checked her out of the hospital and took her for a picnic. She was very subdued. I remember how sad her death was for my father.
I’m sure her committal was also sad for the family. In those days we knew much less about behavioral diseases. We’re probably making equally bad judgments today.
The list is so sad especially for women and children at that time and well into the 1900’s.
It is sad–and a testament to the fact that the society does not always do right by its vulnerable citizens. Thanks for your comment.