Tag Archives: Canton Asylum for Insane Indians in winter

Asylum Winters

1911 View of Canton, S.D.

1911 View of Canton, S.D.

When the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians was new, its electric lights and coal heat were luxuries many of its patients had not experienced before. It seems undeniable that they received attention for their physical problems or illnesses, though any psychiatric treatment was rudimentary at best. However, as more patients arrived and the ratio of attendants to patients increased, care in this relatively tiny asylum began to decline in quality. Continue reading