Editing Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital
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There is a tremendous amount of confusion about the [[Pennsylvania Hospital]] in Philadelphia, PA. This is because there were in fact two separate facilities bearing the name. The first, founded in 1751 by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin was located on Eighth and Pine Streets, and was completed in 1755. This facility is still operational, albeit not for its original purpose. The original structure of Pennsylvnia Hospital is now largely is maintained because of its historic value to the city and state (the modern Pennsylvania Hospital sits behind this building). This original facility found itself overwhelmed by the number of 'lunatic' patients, and regularly had their insane wards overcapacity. The Board of Managers voted to build a second hospital, in what was then rural West Philadelphia, as was the style of such institutions at the time. This second hospital was known as the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital, as to draw distinction from their primary facility. This was also the hospital that Dr. [[Thomas Story Kirkbride]] was Superintendent, who is regarded as one of the fathers of American Psychiatry. Both facilities were run under the same Board of Mangers during their tenure, but only one had a specific specialization in behavioral healthcare. | There is a tremendous amount of confusion about the [[Pennsylvania Hospital]] in Philadelphia, PA. This is because there were in fact two separate facilities bearing the name. The first, founded in 1751 by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin was located on Eighth and Pine Streets, and was completed in 1755. This facility is still operational, albeit not for its original purpose. The original structure of Pennsylvnia Hospital is now largely is maintained because of its historic value to the city and state (the modern Pennsylvania Hospital sits behind this building). This original facility found itself overwhelmed by the number of 'lunatic' patients, and regularly had their insane wards overcapacity. The Board of Managers voted to build a second hospital, in what was then rural West Philadelphia, as was the style of such institutions at the time. This second hospital was known as the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital, as to draw distinction from their primary facility. This was also the hospital that Dr. [[Thomas Story Kirkbride]] was Superintendent, who is regarded as one of the fathers of American Psychiatry. Both facilities were run under the same Board of Mangers during their tenure, but only one had a specific specialization in behavioral healthcare. | ||
− | == | + | == History == |
=== Overcrowding at Pennsylvania Hospital: 1817-1834 === | === Overcrowding at Pennsylvania Hospital: 1817-1834 === | ||
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<blockquote>"''during the entire year, the institution has been rather more than comfortably filled, the average number for the whole period, as shown above, being 229, while 220 is regarded as the capacity of the building. Anxious to receive all who desired admission, we have at no previous time refused any suitable applicant; but during a part of the year just closed, we were for a time compelled, although with great reluctance, to decline receiving patients, except under the most urgent circumstances.''"</blockquote> | <blockquote>"''during the entire year, the institution has been rather more than comfortably filled, the average number for the whole period, as shown above, being 229, while 220 is regarded as the capacity of the building. Anxious to receive all who desired admission, we have at no previous time refused any suitable applicant; but during a part of the year just closed, we were for a time compelled, although with great reluctance, to decline receiving patients, except under the most urgent circumstances.''"</blockquote> | ||
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By May 1854, Dr. Kirkbride had convinced the Hospital’s Board of Managers of the need to build a second, larger hospital building on the West Philadelphia grounds, and to separate the patients by sex, which was the custom of the era. The Managers authorized a $250,000 fundraising campaign and published an "Appeal to the Citizens of Pennsylvania for Means to Provide Additional Accommodations for the Insane." By the spring of 1856 the campaign had raised $209,000 in gifts and private pledges. In March of that year, the Managers authorized the design and construction of a separate building to house, the "Department for Males", and it appointed a building committee to oversee the work. The committee selected Samuel Sloan as its primary architect. Sloan took due consideration of Dr. Kirkbride's suggestions, as well as the guidelines of his predecessor in the Department for Females. Construction began in July, and in October the Managers conducted a ceremony in West Philadelphia in which the Mayor of Philadelphia, Richard Vaux, laid the hospital cornerstone. The new building opened three years later, in October 1859, with a separate entrance on 49th Street, midway between Haverford Avenue and the West Chester Road (renamed Market Street). The new building’s total cost was $322,542.86, but additional expenses– a boundary wall, carriage house, carpenter shop, brought the total expenditure to approximately $350,000.17. | By May 1854, Dr. Kirkbride had convinced the Hospital’s Board of Managers of the need to build a second, larger hospital building on the West Philadelphia grounds, and to separate the patients by sex, which was the custom of the era. The Managers authorized a $250,000 fundraising campaign and published an "Appeal to the Citizens of Pennsylvania for Means to Provide Additional Accommodations for the Insane." By the spring of 1856 the campaign had raised $209,000 in gifts and private pledges. In March of that year, the Managers authorized the design and construction of a separate building to house, the "Department for Males", and it appointed a building committee to oversee the work. The committee selected Samuel Sloan as its primary architect. Sloan took due consideration of Dr. Kirkbride's suggestions, as well as the guidelines of his predecessor in the Department for Females. Construction began in July, and in October the Managers conducted a ceremony in West Philadelphia in which the Mayor of Philadelphia, Richard Vaux, laid the hospital cornerstone. The new building opened three years later, in October 1859, with a separate entrance on 49th Street, midway between Haverford Avenue and the West Chester Road (renamed Market Street). The new building’s total cost was $322,542.86, but additional expenses– a boundary wall, carriage house, carpenter shop, brought the total expenditure to approximately $350,000.17. | ||
The new 'Department for Males' was magnificent, with "a handsome Doric portico of granite in front, and is surmounted by a dome of good proportions. The lantern on the dome is 119 feet from the pavement below, and from it is a beautiful panoramic view of the fertile and highly improved surrounding country, the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, and the city of Philadelphia, with its many prominent objects of interest." In 1860, the original building, now the "Department for Females," was extensively renovated, and placed in the same condition as the new building. The capacity of the Department for the Insane was thereby doubled, from 220 patients to 470 total. It was now an extraordinary large institution, one of the first to be designed and organized in accordance with the 1851 guidelines of the [[American Psychiatric Association]] (guidelines which had been authored by Kirkbride himself), but it was also was one with critics. Dr. Meigs, in his 1876 history of the Pennsylvania Hospital, acknowledged many of the problems, but defended the hospital, stating: | The new 'Department for Males' was magnificent, with "a handsome Doric portico of granite in front, and is surmounted by a dome of good proportions. The lantern on the dome is 119 feet from the pavement below, and from it is a beautiful panoramic view of the fertile and highly improved surrounding country, the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, and the city of Philadelphia, with its many prominent objects of interest." In 1860, the original building, now the "Department for Females," was extensively renovated, and placed in the same condition as the new building. The capacity of the Department for the Insane was thereby doubled, from 220 patients to 470 total. It was now an extraordinary large institution, one of the first to be designed and organized in accordance with the 1851 guidelines of the [[American Psychiatric Association]] (guidelines which had been authored by Kirkbride himself), but it was also was one with critics. Dr. Meigs, in his 1876 history of the Pennsylvania Hospital, acknowledged many of the problems, but defended the hospital, stating: | ||
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Despite the critics, expensive improvements in the physical plant continued for several years. In 1868, 1873, 1880, 1888, and 1893, five new buildings were constructed for women patients and called the South Fisher Ward, the North Fisher Ward, the Mary Shields Wards, the Cottage House or Villa, and the I.V. Williamson Wards, respectively. In 1864 the women’s "Gymnastic Hall" was funded and constructed and in 1890 a gymnasium was also constructed for the men's campus. At the close of the 19th century the facilities of the hospital for the Insane rivaled those of any similar institution in the nation. | Despite the critics, expensive improvements in the physical plant continued for several years. In 1868, 1873, 1880, 1888, and 1893, five new buildings were constructed for women patients and called the South Fisher Ward, the North Fisher Ward, the Mary Shields Wards, the Cottage House or Villa, and the I.V. Williamson Wards, respectively. In 1864 the women’s "Gymnastic Hall" was funded and constructed and in 1890 a gymnasium was also constructed for the men's campus. At the close of the 19th century the facilities of the hospital for the Insane rivaled those of any similar institution in the nation. | ||
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=== Turn of the Century: 1883 to 1911 === | === Turn of the Century: 1883 to 1911 === | ||
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The Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane flourished under Kirkbride until his death on December 16, 1883, though for decades after his death, Philadelphia natives colloquially referred to the hospital as "Kirkbride's." Dr. [[John Chapin]], the former Superintendent of the [[Willard State Hospital]] in New York, assumed the role of Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane after Kirkbride's demise, following a lengthy election by the Board of Managers. The Board had spent ten months making their selection, which was precarious because of the fame and reputation of Kirkbride. Chapin officially assumed this role on September 1, 1884, and held that office until the resignation from his duties in 1911. He was directly succeeded by Dr. Owen Copp, who initiated a School of Nursing for Men at the Hospital. Dr. Chapin appoints Leroy Craig as the first director of 'the Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing for Men'. Craig gains notoriety as the first male superintendent of a male nursing school in the country. Similar schools had previously been established locally at [[Friends Hospital]] and [[Norristown State Hospital]]. The new school of nursing was devoted to training male nurses in generalized nursing practices, as well as the specialization in the disciplines of psychiatric care. | The Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane flourished under Kirkbride until his death on December 16, 1883, though for decades after his death, Philadelphia natives colloquially referred to the hospital as "Kirkbride's." Dr. [[John Chapin]], the former Superintendent of the [[Willard State Hospital]] in New York, assumed the role of Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane after Kirkbride's demise, following a lengthy election by the Board of Managers. The Board had spent ten months making their selection, which was precarious because of the fame and reputation of Kirkbride. Chapin officially assumed this role on September 1, 1884, and held that office until the resignation from his duties in 1911. He was directly succeeded by Dr. Owen Copp, who initiated a School of Nursing for Men at the Hospital. Dr. Chapin appoints Leroy Craig as the first director of 'the Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing for Men'. Craig gains notoriety as the first male superintendent of a male nursing school in the country. Similar schools had previously been established locally at [[Friends Hospital]] and [[Norristown State Hospital]]. The new school of nursing was devoted to training male nurses in generalized nursing practices, as well as the specialization in the disciplines of psychiatric care. | ||
− | It is during the second part of the hospital's history that the particulars of its operations change dramatically. Starting in 1876 the number of patients admitted to the inpatient | + | It is during the second part of the hospital's history that the particulars of its operations change dramatically. Starting in 1876 the number of patients admitted to the inpatient began to drop, which was credited to rise of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's involvement in psychiatry as a matter of the public health. This rise in psychiatric care was found to be startling in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. When Kirkbride opened the new asylum in 1840 there were a total of 275 beds available for those who suffered from mental illnesses. shared by the facility and [[Friends Hospital]]. By 1895, 7,000 inpatient beds had been created between various: private and state hospitals, as well as local sanitariums. While this trend would continue well into the 20th century, Pennsylvania Hospital's inpatient population maximum would not change from the five-hundred beds it was allotted following its expansion in 1853. While the Institute would remain an industry leader, it was longer the only psychiatric facility available to the public regionally. |
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==== Medical Staff Directory: 1840-1922 ==== | ==== Medical Staff Directory: 1840-1922 ==== |