The thing is about 20 years ago I toured a preserved colonial town in New England (I forget the name, it was in Virginia) and there was a book on display which was an inpatient log for a mental ward. And some of the entries’ reason for admission was “masterbation”.
Pretty sure in the 1700’s if they though you were cuckoo, they just strung you up from a tree
Probably that, too.
The thing is about 20 years ago I toured a preserved colonial town in New England (I forget the name, it was in Virginia) and there was a book on display which was an inpatient log for a mental ward. And some of the entries’ reason for admission was “masterbation”.
Colonial Williamsburg?
Good question, not sure. I don’t even remember what was nearby.
looks at some pictures
Could be, but then all English towns looked the same back then. I don’t remember any buildings quite that big though.
If it was Virginia, it was either Jamestown or Williamsburg most likely.
Depends. If you were crazy and they thought you were harmful, then probably yes. They also had sanitariums.
It was also not densely populated. It was pretty easy to simply banish someone and they would just fuck off to be on their own.
Bedlam Hospital opened in 1330.