3,698 Comments Posted by Motts

Thanks Heather, I plan to put up some Central Islip State Hospital photos at some point in the future as well.

I'd love to, but it's quite difficult to find photos of some institutions, especially from the inside. Also being one who travels around and photographs a different location every weekend, I don't have much time to get in contact with historians and other people in charge, getting the rights to reproduce the photographs, etc. I do have a few interesting items showing these places in their prime, again it's a matter of time to work them into the website...

There's a chair in the corner.

No, it's off limits to the public all the time.

I think the labs were mainly used to study the results from autopsies (hence why they are almost always next to the morgue) as well as various fluids and samples taken from patients to examine their illnesses on a biological and psychological standpoint, compiling them together to help determine the cause and cure for various physical and mental illnesses. Byberry had a very large and in-depth medical program, and also trained scientists and medical examiners. I'm sure the effects of drugs were monitored closely, as in collecting and comparing data from the patients (side effects, well-being, etc).

I don't think the drugs were tested on the patients themselves like lab rats, although these incidents have been reported at places such as Willowbrook, Fernald, and Vineland State Schools.

It really was, potted plants, rocking chairs, and maybe a grand piano... it's tough to imagine with the place as it is now.

In steam tunnels or confined spaces with friable asbestos.

Yep.

It was a the inner push bar to the door that had been ripped off on one side.

One of the screens had a bulge that extended a good foot out, like something really heavy had been thrown against it, and it held up pretty damn good. Most of the screens were in pretty good shape... the only issue would've been the noise factor I imagine.

If the morgues were full, why would they need a makeshift autopsy table? If anything they would need to find a new freezer for storage (and a slab bath would be much more suitable for an autopsy anyway!)

The place is still in pretty good shape despite what the devlopers want you to think.

Kitty, it was a light fixture, there's one hanging in the center of the hallway too... I think the closest one was still lit too!

Yes most places, Danvers had a morgue in the Bonner medical building which is across from the Kirkbride.

Lost in a Desert World (1994) by Roland Johnson was about his life at Pennhurst State School.