
Ep. 63: People of Seacliff Mental Hospital (Janet Frame, Part 1)
Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric HospitalsShow Notes
Send us Fan Mail This episode features one of Janet Frame's short stories, "Gorse is not People," which was featured in The New Yorker on August 25, 2008. Link here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/09/01/gorse-is-not-people References to this work are from part two of Janet Frame's autobiography, An Angel at my Table. Check out our Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/behindthewallspodcast Check out our Beacons page: https://beacons.ai/behindthewallspodcast Join us on Instagram: @behindthe...
More from Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals
Send us Fan Mail This week's episode focuses on the history of McLean Psychiatric Hospital around the turn of the 20th century. In particular, we examine the life of one patient, Stanley McCormick, and his journey to McLean, the time he spent there, and his life afterward. My sources for this episode include the book Gracefully Insane by Alex Beam and annual reports from McLean Hospital. Support the show on Beacons: https://beacons.ai/behindthewallspodcast Support the show on Patreon: http://...
Send us Fan Mail This week's episode looks at the early years of McLean Psychiatric Hospital, originally called the Charlestown Asylum and Somerville Asylum. Find out what caused a delay in the funding and building of the asylum, as well as who was part of the original board of trustees. Learn about the man whose namesake has become synonymous with the history of the hospital. And discover how McLean Hospital became known as a treatment facility for the wealthy. My main sources include the bo...
Send us Fan Mail IT'S MY 100th EPISODE!!! This week we wrap up the history of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and find out which treatment was used over a two-week period in an attempt to discharge patients quickly from the hospital. Discover how nine patients from the criminally insane ward escaped. And learn about how the asylum came back to life after it closed its doors in 1994. My main source is The Haunted History of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum by Sherri Brake. All other sourc...
Send us Fan Mail This week we look at the expansion of the asylum around the turn of the 20th century. Find out what types of treatment were used, learn what unusual (and sad) reasons got people committed to the asylum, and discover who was setting a series of dangerous fires. Learn more about influenza and tuberculosis treatment at the hospital, as well. The main source for this episode is the book The Haunted History of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum by Sherri Brake. Support the show on...
Send us Fan Mail This week we start a series on Sarah's "holy grail" asylum! Learn about why it took 23 years for the asylum to be built and who was involved in the labor. Find out how the hospital took on an additional role in the history of the American Civil War. And discover why there was such a high turnover of superintendents in the early days of asylum life. Follow the show on Instagram at @behindthewallspod Support the show on Beacons: https://beacons.ai/behindthewallspodcast Support ...