Tag Archives: American Journal of Insanity

A Superior Institution

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St. Elizabeths, circa 1909, courtesy Library of Congress

St. Elizabeths, circa 1909, courtesy Library of Congress

The Canton Asylum for Insane Indians had little beyond fresh air and exercise to offer its patients. Superintendents allowed a little beadwork and craft-making to occupy patients’ time, along with field work and housekeeping for the able-bodied patients. It had no hospital in 1910, nor means of quarantining patients effectively.

St. Elizabeths had a training school for nurses, quarantine rooms, and a full hospital where operations ranging from appendectomies to hysterectomies were performed. The dental department performed extractions and cleanings for patients, and created false teeth for them.

Most tellingly, the psychiatric department conducted research and published its work in professional journals, like the American Journal of Insanity. It conducted additional research through its pathology laboratory, conducting autopsies and studying tissue samples to understand the changes disease caused in the body.

St. Elizabeths was a psychiatric and teaching hospital, while the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians was merely a warehouse.

St. Elizabeths Hydroptherapy Patients, courtesy Library of Congress

St. Elizabeths Hydrotherapy Patients, courtesy Library of Congress

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How Crazy Were Indians?

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Medicine Man Administering to a Patient, courtesy Library of Congress

Medicine Man Administering to a Patient, courtesy Library of Congress

Native Americans recognized mental illness, and had several descriptive names for different conditions. The Navajos called tremors and seizures “moth madness,” which was said to be caused by sibling incest. Some tribes considered violent mania to be the result of the evil spirit, windigo, which could possess someone’s body and eat souls.

Sometimes, Native Americans attributed insanity to the influence of an evil charm or to a enemy’s potion. Along with that belief was the counter-belief that a stronger charm or potion would effect a cure.

Ironically, an article in the October 1903 issue of the American Journal of Insanity (discussing a study of 7,600 cases of insanity in Connecticut over 32 years) noted that Native Americans had the lowest incidence of insanity in the population. This finding was backed up in a number of books of the period, in which missionaries and others who frequently traveled among a variety of tribes, declared that they had never seen any insane Indians.

Skull To Keep Evil Spirits Away, Montana, courtesy Library of Congress

Skull To Keep Evil Spirits Away, Montana, courtesy Library of Congress

Hupa Shaman, 1923, courtesy Library of Congress

Hupa Shaman, 1923, courtesy Library of Congress

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The Care and Feeding of Lunatics

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Early Oleomargarine

Early Oleomargarine

In any large institution, food is a big deal. In 1903, the American Journal of Insanity (see 6/3/10 post) reported that Dr. J.C. Dunlop reviewed the diets provided by state supported institutions, and found them mainly satisfactory. Dr. Dunlop made some additional suggestions that he thought would be adequate under most circumstances. He recommended:

–Bread should be given at all meals.

–A minimum of 24 ounces of meat (before cooking and without bone) should be given to each patient per week.

–A fish dinner or fifth meat dinner should be given weekly.

–Porridge and milk should be given daily.

–A minimum of three pounds of potatoes should be given to each patient per week.

–A pound and a half of other fresh vegetables should be given to patients weekly.

–Tea or coffee should be given as desired twice daily to patients.

–Patients should receive a minimum of five ounces or butter or six ounces of margarine each week.

Patients who worked could be given more food as required.

Women Working in Field

Women Working in Field

Patients at Missouri State Insane Asylum, 1912

Patients at Missouri State Insane Asylum, 1912

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Tell Us All About It

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Amariah Brigham, courtesy National Library of Medicine

Amariah Brigham, courtesy National Library of Medicine

After the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane formed, they needed a format in which to discuss emerging ideas, treatments, and work experiences within the mental health field.

The superintendent of Utica (N.Y.) State Hospital, Amariah Brigham (1798-1849), created the American Journal of Insanity as a forum for this exchange of information, and probably wrote all the articles for its first issue. Though it was the mouthpiece of the association, Utica State Hospital owned the AJI until the Association of Medical Superintendents bought it in 1892. Its name was changed to the American Journal of Psychiatry in 1921.

AJI’s first issue (July 1844) discussed “Insanity Illustrated by Cases.” One such case began: “Mr. ___, aged 48, had uniformly enjoyed good health until the summer of 1842, when he complained some of not feeling well, was weak and dyspeptic, and in November had what was supposed to be a slight paralytic attack. For this and severe pain of the head he was bled seven or eight times, took cathartic medicines and was blistered largely. He remained dull and disinclined to exercise for five or six weeks, when he became suddenly deranged…”

American Journal of Insanity, courtesy National Library of Medicine

American Journal of Insanity, courtesy National Library of Medicine

Ad from American Journal of Insanity

Ad from American Journal of Insanity

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