23 Comments Posted by Scout

It was common up until the 60's to sterilize patients, especially those who were "troublesome" in order to control them and keep them from having sex with other patients. It was also a remnant from the 20's and 30's when Germany was a leading exporter of Psychiatric theory and they saw it as a way of controlling the gene pool. And yes, I mean removing the testicles of men and the ovaries of women-not a vasectomy.

Some practices were downright barbaric.

The last place I worked in like that was an institution for teens. They were always skimping on staff requirements too. After I left the kids in the top floor (an ancient hospital with a three-story nurses dormitory for nurses in training turned into a youth detention center) waited until the guard went to sleep one night on the Graveyard shift and then crept up and broke his legs with pool cues. They didn't have an observation room. heh heh

More like a 20's or 30's model. They were probably still selling it in the 40's as designs didn't change overnight back then.

"It looks like a scene from Cold Creek Manor"

Thought I was the only one who'd seen that movie.

I've been in and worked in a few of these places and I think your assumption is probably accurate Motts.

Here's the thing about the abandoned stuff...if you work in such a place and they close it down, it ain't yours to take and even if you know it will just go to waste due to government regs about not using old stuff in the new facility-or maybe there is no new facility, if you take it and get caught you're labeled a thief. Most of the stuff was probably pretty worn anyway or somebody would've risked taking it. A shame really.

"The lower light was added later. Notice that the wire is run on the outside of the wall."

I would agree Daniel. Maybe not a lot later, but it wasn't installed with the first one. I'm thinking they installed it after a dark spot showed up-maybe somebody fell or even got attacked by an inmate.

"What's up in this hospital?"

You can be assured, extreme toxic levels of carcinogens such as asbestos, lead paint and who knows what else. I would recommend avoiding such places although the siren call of exploration is strong indeed. Don't forget at least some Wal Mart dust masks and rubber gloves. Wear rough, thick clothing and thick-soled shoes and carry along a good knife , screwdriver with multiple blades and a pair of pliers just in case you get a door slammed behind you. Beware of squatters and trespassers.

I'm a Psychologist...or was at one time. The paint is actually called "Institutional Green" and is quite famous. As y'all said, it is used in almost all of these places. I think I have read that its use was linked to "color therapy" and did have a calming effect, as somebody proposed.