Comments

I want to know what the "other junk" is -

The shelves still look in pretty good shape, a wash down and some fresh paint or varnish and they'd be good as new.

That green paint on the walls reminds me of my grammer school that was painted in that hideous color. Brings back memories of bullies and harassment and those were just the teachers!

Every time I see a photo like this I get a melancholy feeling. I love books and feel bad when I see them rotting away when they could be kept and read by someone who cares, like me!

I almost expect to see an armadillo crawling out from this. . .

I'd love one of these too, they're beautiful

Count Dracula eat your heart out!

It's hard to say really, psychiatric hospitals were so much different back then. At the time of the photo, doctors were stabbing in the dark trying to find a way to cure mental illness. Plenty of rest, fresh air, a healthy diet and various kinds of art/occupational therapies in pleasant surroundings were the best that could be offered. It sounds nice, but I doubt that many people were actually getting better.

Once these hospitals became overcrowded and underfunded, these old buildings may have been used to house violent patients. I could imagine a superintendent who is extremely pressed for space making a decision to treat more hopeful cases in a modern facility, and keeping the "back wards" in the old outdated buildings.

Motts, why are you so nice to the obvious bastards that give you this palette , oh, I just answered my own question!

LEAD PAINT! HAH! I DON'T NEED NO STEENKING LEAD PANT!!

I really miss my ol' straightjacket!

Nobody gets the "fun slide?', "You'le shoot your eye out, HA HA HA!

Love this Gallery! Northwood.
Thanks for old picture, Mr. Motts . It actually looks Cozy & comfortable, back in the days - they were not violent in this ward, were they?
This was a calm room, methinks.

Alien aslant

Nailing shot of first degree damp decay dilapidated tumble-down
- but the stalactites are formidable, and all over. Awesome picture, Mr. M. really - bright, and flooded with light at the end, in all this mess. Mural FTW! Thought it was blue mold at first :)