On my list of must see places was the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. She was an early collector of the form and I’d heard tell the place was filled to the brim with treasures.
What I didn’t know was the building’s original use.
Half museum, half insane asylum.
Color me intrigued.
Well, that doesn’t look at all comfortable.
But at least there’s a cushion.
*gulp*
This certainly gives new meaning to the term “time out”.
While revolting….
I have to say the peek into early treatment of mental illness was fascinating.
Yikes.
Seems like there was a whole lot of restraint … and not much actual treatment.
It was about this time the husband told me he read about men committing their misbehaving wives for little more than disagreeing with their authority.
Uh oh.
Early shock therapy looked rather primitive.
Am I the only one who’s reading “restored” as irreparably brain damaged?
One can only imagine the horrors those poor people suffered at the hands of their supposed healers.
Though they did have some pretty snazzy syringes.
On a lighter note, the husband was tickled to see one of these on display.
He bought a whole box of these slides at a yard sale years ago. They’re pretty valuable as a few of them show pre Civil War life with slaves… but he’s never found the actual lantern for sale.
If you ever see one? Let me know….
It would make a great birthday gift and rise above his usual level of rusty crap.
River's world..... 
You look right at home there!
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Funny… that’s what the husband said.
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Surely you don’t disagree with your husband’s authority. Isn’t there a whole barn full of stuff that would support that assessment? 🙂
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I disagree with my husband’s authority on a daily basis.
For all the good it does me…..
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Ebay……..?
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I look occasionally. They have versions…. but not like this one.
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Interesting….very, very interesting *in my very best Gene Wilder voice in Young Frankenstein*
In any case, I think I may need one of those “Tranquilizing Chairs” for Baby Kermit, you know to keep her safe……*laughs evilly to self*…..
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Look on YouTube. They probably have a DIY video…..
😉
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Okay–IF we don’t get more food pictures you get the IMPROVED tranquilizer chair!! And then the crib! You have been warned!
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Uh oh…
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As I recall from my college psychology classes even contemporary shock treatment looks rather primitive. Fortunately it’s not so casually applied as it was back then, although as Alan Parsons, and Allen Poe said, you can still get a little satisfaction altogether guaranteed by Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether.
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Ha!
I just read an interesting article that said Poe might have died of rabies.
Strange, that.
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I’d enjoy that, creepy or not. The Alienist is an awesome book about turn of the century mental illness treatment and theory. Apparently they made it into a show/movie. I didn’t see it, but the book is fascinating.
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It was! I read it years ago. And yes, the topic is horribly fascinating.
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Me too. I can’t tell you the last book I was THAT engrossed in. Sigh.
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I’m not sure what “restored” means, but it had to be better than being cared for. Now on the lookout for Magic Lantern – am I to assume that money is no object?
Wait, what was that?
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Well, I wouldn’t go that far…..
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