Dracula

19th Century Psychiatric Hospitals

Medical procedures have been changing and will continue to change as we are a progressive society. In order to reach the most effective and morally acceptable procedures, we had to start somewhere. Unfortunately, in the 19th century,

State Lunatic Hospital, West Side: Taunton, Massachusetts (Blazavich)

insane asylums were the beginning of understanding the human body and mind, and malpractice occurred behind closed doors. These were places that were trusted to medically explain away "abnormal" behaviors, but were not the most effective in treatment. The harsh conditions and societal perceptions that were involved with asylums furthered the cruel treatments. Many normal, everyday behaviors today would deem us "clinically insane" if we were living within the medical standards of the Victorian Era. Fortunately for us, we as a society and medically have developed from what these "hospitals" once were. 

Who were in the asylums?

A woman, restrained in an asylum (Myers)

Anyone who was deemed insane, by the 19th century medical definition, was admitted. If one was deemed unable to take care of oneself, one became property of the state whether one wanted to or not (Myers). These people included "laziness, egotism... female disease, mental excitement... jealous, religion, asthma, masturbation," ("Reasons for Admission"). These are all causes for entry that modern-day medicine would not consider symptoms of the "insane". These are normally, everyday diagnosis or behaviors that landed people in a place of neglect and torture. If this were true today, a large portion of our society would be considered insane.
In addition, women were more often admitted than men. Many women were immediately thought of as 'mad' when they would disagree with the religion of Christianity or disobeyed their husbands. The actions that these women made in order to these social norms were what characterized them as insane and then placed in an asylum. Unfortunately during this time, one of our basic rights as a United States citizen, freedom of speech, seemed to not apply to women and resulted in extended amounts of medical care that was unneeded. Many medical records display a "social or political narrative" (Butchireddygari) for women's reasoning for admittance. During this time period, the conclusion can be made that women's behavior was restricted through medicine and the possibility of being placed in one of these institutions. (Blazavich). 

How were they treated?
The original purpose of the asylums was to treat the insane medically and with moral practices, but that was not the case. At this time, medicine was not modern, and was in the early stages of development. One treatment called the "Spinning Chair Treatment" evolved during the 19th century. This machine, pictured right, would involve constant twirling for hours until vomiting occurred. This sickness would be perceived as the treatment "working" as toxins are being released from the body (Myers). Another treatment would involved being forcefully stripped and dunked into freezing cold water. Women were specifically prescribed this to treat "hypersexuality" (Myers).

Aside from the harsh medical treatments, abuse of these helpless patients was an everyday occurrence. "The asylums frequently abused their patients, beating and whipping them," (Butchireddygari). Not only was there physical torture, but negligence by the caretakers was also frequently found. They were kept in cold and comfortless rooms similar to prison cells. Many patients were often observed unclothed and restrained with chains. Nellie Bly, a journalist who experienced the asylums from the inside, reported first hand accounts of abuse."Patients were strangled, had their hair ripped out, and even had their heads held underwater" (Myers). These reports are disheartening when people of medical authority should be caretakers for the patients.

How could they be released?
Many patients within a hospital stayed long-term, or until their death. If the rare possibility arose that they were considered "sane", they could be released. However, transitions from hospital patient to the real world were not aided in any manner (Popova). It was considered that there were no real cures to insanity. Therefore, patients were admitted for life and were considered "chronic" (Myers). It often went that doctors had the final say and arguing against one's diagnosis of insanity would create worse circumstances. 

Works Cited

Blazavich, Jenna. "How Victorian Women Were Oppressed Through the Use of Psychiatry." The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2017, www.theaatlantic.com/sponsored/netflix-2017/how-victorian-women-were-oppressed-through-the-use-of-psychiatry/1607/.

Butchireddygari, Likhitha, et al. Behind Closed Doors: A Look Inside Insane Asylums of the 19th Century. YouTube, YouTube, 11 Nov. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtgzpAbxcRl

Myers, Christopher. "13 Unforgivable Facts About Life In 19th Century Insane Asylums." Ranker, www.ranker.com/list/life-in-19th-century-mental-institutions-and-insane-asylums/christopher-myers.

Popova, Maria. "Asylum: Inside the Haunting World of 19th-Century Mental Hospitals." Brain Pickings, Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, 2 Nov. 2015, www.brainpickings.org/2011/09/08/asylum-christopher-payne/.

"Reasons for Admission to Insane Asylums in the 19th Century." Snopes.com, Urban Legends Reference Pages, www.snopes.com/fact-check/reasons-admission-insane-asylum-1800s/.