It’s my understanding that for about a hundred and fifty years, from the 1810s or so to the 1960s, there was a general consensus between government, health professionals, and the citizenry, that ASYLUMS were the way to go for the mentally ill. Livin’ on the street? Mentally ill? Harming yourself or others? Failing to be a normal member of society? You were hauled off, judged to be incompetent, and sent to an asylum of one sort or another.
We have psychiatric hospitals today, but I wonder if there are more crazies on the streets today than there were in the “old days,” and if there ARE more crazies on the streets today, if it is in part because Law Enforcement does not seem to have the right to simply haul ‘em away.
>> It’s my understanding that for about a hundred and fifty years, from the 1810s or so to the 1960s, there was a general consensus between government, health professionals, and the citizenry, that ASYLUMS were the way to go for the mentally ill.
True, that.
Now we “house” the insane on the streets of our large cities.
Or elect ‘em to Congress.
By the way, the next time you think of how we care for the mentally ill, think of this video footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lKUwBCIBzA&feature=fvsr
Ask the folks living in NE Philly about this subject. You will get an education.
http://theduke81.tripod.com/index.html