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America's Care of the Mentally Ill

A Photographic History

William E. Baxter, M.A., M.S., and David W. Hathcox, III, M.A.

  • ISBN 978-0-88048-539-5
  • Item #8539

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Description

America's Care of the Mentally Ill: A Photographic History tells the story of our nation's care of the mentally ill, starting from the 18th century, through the birth of the American Psychiatric Association and hospital-based care in 1844, up to the present. This engrossing book is the first ever photographic volume depicting the history of the care of the mentally ill in the United States and the development of state mental hospitals.

Assembled by William E. Baxter, M.A., M.S., Director of the APA Library and Archives, and David W. Hathcox III, M.A., a freelance photographer, this extensive volume is culled from a variety of sources, including the APA's collection of rare photographs.

America's Care of the Mentally Ill: A Photographic History begins with the plight of the mentally ill in the 18th century. It continues through the many reform movements of the 19th century and the evolution of the state mental hospital system. The book ends with a description of the 20th century's rapid advances in treatments, and the demise of the state mental hospital.

Contents

  • Introduction. Almshouses, jails, and the streets. Beginnings of institutional care. Numbers. Changes. Decline. Coming full circle: halfway houses, jails, and the streets. Notes on the photographs. Bibliography.

About the Authors

William E. Baxter, M.A., M.S., is an historian and archivist. He is the Director of the American Psychiatric Association Library and Archives.

David W. Hathcox III, M.A., is a freelance photographer and photojournalist in the Washington, DC, area and throughout the country.

This book is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who is interested in the history of medicine and social policy.—JAMA


America's Care of the Mentally Ill brings together under one cover a large number of rare and hitherto inaccessible photographs that illuminate the changes in the ways in which American society has dealt with the problems posed by the presence of large numbers of severely and chronically mentally ill persons.—Gerald N. Grob, Ph.D., Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey


The book is richly illustrated with treasures from numerous archives. The compilation of these materials in one book creates an important resource for educators and professionals with an interest in the care of the mentally ill.—Michael J. Vergare, M.D., Associate Chairman, Albert Einstein Medical Center

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