Difference between revisions of "Portal:Featured Article Of The Week"

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|Title= Seaview Lunatic Asylum
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|Title= Wernersville State Hospital
|Image= 57197-max.jpg
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|Image= WernerSH_Banner.jpg
 
|Width= 150px
 
|Width= 150px
|Body= Prior to 1869, when Seaview Asylum began construction, those with mental health issues were sent to the nearby Sunnyside Hospital in Christchurch. When that became unavailable for the locals in the surrounding region, they started construction of their own asylum. It began accepting patients in 1972.
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|Body= The Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized the creation of the State Asylum for the Chronic Insane on June 22, 1891. The facility was to be a public mental hospital for persons needing extended care. Courts were not permitted to make direct admissions to Wernersville; only patients who had at least one year of care at another state mental hospital were eligible for admission. This special role for Wernersville continued until 1923.
  
In the beginning, Hugh and Winifred Gribben, respectively the superintendent and matron of Seaview from 1872 to 1904, started programs inline with other asylums. These included recreation and work programs. Gribben was also noted for not using restrains. However, by the end of his tenure the institution had become a much more custodial hospital.
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Rankin and Kellogg of Philadelphia designed the new hospital buildings, and the overall appearance of the main Administration/residential buildings was modeled after Independence Hall. The total cost for the plant was $472,603.41. The facility plan was considered advanced for the times, as there were no walls surrounding the grounds nor were there bars on the windows and doors. The patients selected were non-violent, but required long-term care. They could freely move in and out of the buildings. The Pennsylvania Legislature's special commission was very impressed by the "fresh air" and spring waters in this rural setting in Berks County. The adjacent area had long been recognized for its fashionable resorts attracting many summer visitors from Philadelphia and New York.  [[Wernersville State Hospital|Click here for more...]]
 
 
By 1921 when Buchanan took charge the buildings were in a state of disrepair. His lobbying resulted in a furor in parliament and money was allocated to rebuild the hospital. A central services block, admission and administration blocks were built along with villas to house the patients. The new buildings, Buchanan's changes in the way the hospital was run, and the use of qualified general and psychiatric staff resulted in better therapeutic and custodial care of patients. Buchanan also improved the relationship with the nearby Westland Hospital and had a road built between the two institutions.  [[Seaview Lunatic Asylum|Click here for more...]]
 
 
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Revision as of 04:31, 7 November 2021

Featured Article Of The Week

Wernersville State Hospital


WernerSH Banner.jpg

The Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized the creation of the State Asylum for the Chronic Insane on June 22, 1891. The facility was to be a public mental hospital for persons needing extended care. Courts were not permitted to make direct admissions to Wernersville; only patients who had at least one year of care at another state mental hospital were eligible for admission. This special role for Wernersville continued until 1923.

Rankin and Kellogg of Philadelphia designed the new hospital buildings, and the overall appearance of the main Administration/residential buildings was modeled after Independence Hall. The total cost for the plant was $472,603.41. The facility plan was considered advanced for the times, as there were no walls surrounding the grounds nor were there bars on the windows and doors. The patients selected were non-violent, but required long-term care. They could freely move in and out of the buildings. The Pennsylvania Legislature's special commission was very impressed by the "fresh air" and spring waters in this rural setting in Berks County. The adjacent area had long been recognized for its fashionable resorts attracting many summer visitors from Philadelphia and New York. Click here for more...