Asylum: A Mid-Century Madhouse and Its Lessons about Our Mentally Ill Today by Enoch Callaway

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"In his witty and warm history of Worcester State Hospital, founded in 1833 as the first state insane asylum in this nation, Dr. Enoch Callaway reflects not just on the events in this fortress-like place, but also on how those events parallel advances and failures in the field of psychiatry itself. He includes patient/psychiatrist vignettes showing treatment techniques of the period - from farm work to early electric shock therapy and insulin treatments that put schizophrenics in a 90-minute show more coma. In addition, he offers sharp insight into 'natural' treatments that showed remarkable results, as well as into unexpected recoveries stimulated by tools as simple as a hand mirror. At times, Worcester may seem brutal, at other times its simplicity seems pure and caring. There are marvelous successes, and times when the facility seems no more than a warehouse for the mentally ill. Callaway argues that this history offers lessons about the treatment - and options for better treatment - of the mentally ill in society today."--Book jacket. show less

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lemontwist 1,506 reviews

A very different look into state hospitals in the mid 20th century than you'll get anywhere else. Some of the language in this book was highly stigmatizing, such as calling people without schizophrenia "normals."

Sep 4, 2023

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meggyweg 1,128 reviews

Mar 6, 2009

mlkasputis

Feb 4, 2009

thewordygecko 23 reviews

½

Feb 5, 2008

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