Early (1800s) Map of Hawaiian Islands

The Oahu Insane Asylum in Honolulu was established in 1862 while still under a monarchy. By 1874 it had 28 inmates. As the Hawaiian population grew, so did the asylum’s resident population: an average of 140 in 1900 and 225 in 1910.

Unlike the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians, which typically employed whites as attendants, the Oahu Insane Asylum employed native Hawaiians as attendants. Interestingly, however, most patients were of foreign birth; in June 1913, only 28 of 119 patients were Hawaiian. The majority of non-native patients were Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, part-Hawaiian, and Portuguese.

The asylum had an advantage over many others in that it was in a truly temperate climate that allowed plenty of natural ventilation and sunshine. The superintendent reported that: “Treatment consists of kindly, judicious care, plain, nourishing food, harmonious surroundings, an abundance of fresh air, non-restraint, hydrotherapy, and ‘a little drugging.'”

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