Images of Melancholia and Recovery

Though Dr. Harry Hummer did not seem to consider anyone ever completely cured of insanity (see last two posts), he was sometimes willing to let patients return home if they could be cared for properly by family. In this, he probably had some genuine concerns for the patient. He was likely aware of the many instances in which Native Americans had lost property due to unscrupulous outsiders, and he knew that some of his patients had allotments that needed protection. Hummer also felt that certain conditions required care that might be too much for naive family members who didn’t understand the burdens of round-the-clock attention.

When convinced that patients would do well under family care, Hummer did sometimes release them willingly. In 1911, Lucy Gladstone came to the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians because of a suicide attempt. For several months, Hummer treated her for depression and some sort of seizures. Gladstone grew better and worked in the sewing room and with the laundry; she was tidy and quiet, and gradually came out of her depression. Within the year, Hummer considered her so much recovered that he released her to the care of her brother and felt confident enough to let her travel to his home without an escort.

Patients Working in Laundry Room at Texas State Lunatic Asylum

Patients in Sewing Room at Willard State Hospital for the Insane

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