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April 16, 2005
so if you are feeling a little crazy
this should make you feel better (plus my blog has been too damn cutesy lately so here's a dose of odd, antique reality for you). It's a record available at the New Orleans Public Library City Archives. It's a detailed record of patients at the New Orleans (La.) City Insane Asylum 1882-1884.
It's a fascinating look at how they used to diagnose insanity. The clinical diagnoses are amazing in themselves: melancholy, stupidity, acute religious mania (I wish they still locked people up for that!),delirium of persecution, chronic mania, epilepsy, softening of the brain...
It's also a testament to the way that racism was still very prominent--not that the person diagnosing these people wasn't kind and compassionate, in fact, I had a distinct feeling that he was--rather it was just the common belief at that time about how black people were, the Irish are, women, etc.
Some of the more amazing accounts:
p. 81
Wm. Sheldon, male, black, 36 years old, single, native of Virginia. Recommended his commitment to the S-I-A. at Jackson, La. on April 16th/83, finding him suffering from Religious Mania.
This man’s actions & reasoning were so lucid, that I was about writing his discharge when he told me that he had something to tell me before going out. What is it I said, he answered “Jesus-Christ cut my nuts out last Monday, and it was not until Tuesday morning that I found it out, when I then missed them.” He was positive his testicles had been removed. When I made him examine himself, he laughed & said with surprise, “Well, I made a mistake, I told a lie, but did not mean it. I take it all back. Sure enough they are there.”
p. 100
Louise Blache, female, black, about 100 years old, widowed, native of Africa, recommended her commitment to the S.-I.-A. at Jackson, La. on June 8th 1883 finding her suffering from Dementia.
This old woman is very old, being in the neighborhood of 100 years. She is in a state of infancy, loss of memory, and shriveled up from old age. She is the type of the African, and is no doubt one of the African negroes brought here by the negro traders of the north at the commencement of this century.
p.116
Charles Welsh, male, white, married, 69? [sic] years, native of Ireland, cab driver. Recommended his commitment to the S.-I.-A. at Jackson, on July 23d/83, finding him suffering from Chronic Alcoholism.
Like all Irishmen, he is very witty. But his conversation is incoherent, vulgar, and obcene [sic]. He has been an inveterate drinker, for years back, but his physique bears his age very well. He does not seem to be over 50 or 55 at the utmost. He knows not where are his house and cab, or at least says they are where they are not. If whiskey is mentioned to him, his face radiates with joy, and he becomes talkative.
p.130
Jefferson Davis, male, white, 22 yrs, married, native of N.O. La. Recommended his commitment to the S-I-A. at Jackson, La. on September 20th 1883, finding him insane suffering from Acute Raving Mania.
This unfortunate young man, was badly beaten a day or two ago, and bears the marks of the beating, in the shape of bruises of the scalp & nose and black eyes. Since then he is said to have become insane. To day, 5 p.m., he is very much excited, is constantly spitting every where, and at every one, begs not to be struck, asks for the priest and holy water, and implores his wife not to abandon him. His pupils are normal, his face, excited & inquisitive. He is so restless that I am unable to count his pulse. (He was beaten on Tuesday morning 18th inst. A few hours after when he returned home he was talking foolish. That evening, between 5 and 7 oclock [sic] he was speechless but would by signs & writing ask what he wanted. That night he was restless & talked foolish, though he slept some. That day & the next, Wednesday, he had hemorrhages from the mouth & nose. Wednesday all day foolish talk & movements; by 7 p.m. he became violent. No sleep that night. Thursday morning at about 3 o’clk. was arrested & in the evening I sent him to the La. Retreat.) These last informations [sic] I have from his mother in law.
You must check out the record...it's absolutely amazing in its entirety. The descriptions are clear enough that even now you can probably guess at some of the real truths behind it: alzheimers, depression, schizophrenia, brain damage.
Joe used to work with the director, Brad Anderson (who also did Next Stop Wonderland), who created the movie Session 9, which coincidentally, our friend Sharyl told us about initially. Joe's wheels started turning and he realized it was the movie that Brad always talked about wanting to make. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), the Danvers State Hospital, on which the movie is based, still has its records mostly unavailable to the public--it only closed in 1992 so they are private. Here is a detailed account of the Danvers State Hospital by Michael Ramseurwith some gorgeously haunting portraits of the castle-like institution. One of the most interesting facts about Danvers that he notes is that in 1898, the biggest foreign population in the hospital were the Irish (those witty Irish!). Ramseur is putting together a book about the Danvers State Hospital which I imagine will be a fully fascinating read.
We live quite close to the famed Mclean Hospital (Sylvia Plath really put it on the map and so did the movie Girl, Interrupted). I keep meaning to pick up the book, Gracefully Insane, but haven't yet.
We're going out with an Irishman tonight (who also worked with Brad Anderson). I can't wait to give him a bad time about being witty as he's drinking his whiskey...
Posted by crystallyn at April 16, 2005 09:20 AM