Closing In

The mesh is really striking...not what I would expect...

this awful animal cage doors leaves some bad tast of inhumanity on my pistachios. just think about the draft and chill in this anti-shelters.

And don't forget the maddening moiré.

Wow...all of the metal mesh and bars here...give the place such a cold, confined, almost hostile feel...however, LOVE the colors in this shot...you never cease to amaze me Mr. Motts! Keep em comin' !!

The Salmon building is very cool, it's like a trip back into the old school days of locking up the crazies to the point of confinement. Very close to a prison. Maybe worse, in some ways.

i believe this area would be called in todays terms isolation , used for suiside watch or punishment of unruly clients.

They wouldn't put a suicidal patient behind mesh...just think of the damage they could do to themselves then...

Interesting angle Motts, so much mesh!

Bri, I stated the very same thing almost in the pix before this one, or maybe the one before that, anyway, these rooms would be hazardous to a suicidal patient. I was put on suicidal watch and they had me under lock and key constanly and I could not get out of any staff member. I was not allowed any pens with metal tips and or even plastic eating utensils, only a plastic spoon. So, I feel this mesh had to be for unruly patients. I know I was threatened to be sent to an isolation cell if I had not ceased from my psychotic breaks, though minor compared to some that was housed with me.

as i posted on another page, my relative was a nursing supervisor and worked for a time in this building. She said there were guards at almost every entrance, and she carried about 75 keys with her...one for every mesh door. You had to open one, lock it behind you, walk to the next, open it, lock it, continue. When she dispensed meds, a security guard had to be with her at all times.

If there were visitors, they had to speak through the mesh. No physical contact whatsoever.

Anyone know of someone who used to work at NSH who either published a book, article, or video on their experiences and whether patients were abused there. I am very interested to confirm rumors that experiements happened at NSH on humans.

Corey,

Abuse went on there and everywhere. In your state. In your city. In your neighborhood. Maybe even in your own house. Why the desperation to find out if it happened here versus closer to your own home? Are you going to do anything to help anybody if you find out that "torture" went on? Some days it seems that people are getting their kicks from thinking that people with psychiatric issues may have been mistreated - a vicarious thrill that I find disturbing. Given the lack of funding and public support that occurred back then I can assure you that abuse went on at some point, if only for the fact that there wasn't enough money or staff to see to the needs of a very large number of people who had some pretty serious problems. Also, many of the techniques that you call "torture" were standard medical or psychiatric practice at the time. It's hardly fair to wait 50 to 100 years and then condemn people for not having today's knowledge.

If you are searching so frantically for something terrible that happened and yet aren't doing anything to help stop it from happening again, it's called "voyeurism" - it's getting a kick out of other people's misery. People who lived in orphanages, prep schools, and boarding schools had many, if not all, of the same experiences that happened to people in psychiatric and developmental facilities, yet I don't see many people running around looking for old boarding schools to find ghosts and "tortured souls". This is just another way of staring at people who are different, but it's a little more "politically correct" than doing it directly. Still boils down to the same thing, however.

If you are REALLY interested ("interested" meaning "caring" versus "staring"):
1. Learn the history of the field before you pass judgment on everyone.
2. Volunteer some time in the field to help others and see what the state of the field is like currently so you can talk from experience and not from some sappy second-hand faked story you saw on "Ghost-busters."
3. Learn the issues as far as funding for mental health in your state and nationally.
4. Vote to support the appropriate use of funding for mental health issues and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

P.S. Yes, I am a nasty old wench who probably doesn't deserve to live for being such a Crabby Appleton about this. :-)

-applauds lynne-

Lynne you crabby old wench...I do lubs ya muchly. : )

Lynne we can never get enough of your crabbiness ; )

he , corey may be only curious why all the banter.

the state , goverment , human dolts are the problem not a curious person.

To the good doctor, for whatever it's worth, this rant ranks number one on my list. Love ya!

Ah, Marty, you old softy! ;-)

P.S. Hugs to Jo, Sian, and J.R.

I worked at the hospital for 25 years and at no time did I see much abuse. Every place has it's dirty employee. I worked mostly in the geriatric area and these pt.s got excellent care. My first introduction to geriatrics were really quite amazing. The staff treated pt's like family, bubble baths, curing their hair, makeup. At one time staff were even able to take someone out. Those days died from the do-gooders. Norwich Hospital had wonderful training programs and the hospital was accrediated

Want to know more, ask

I think to understand the present., we must look back at the past.

Lynne, I understand what you are saying and do believe mental health is a serious issue despite the fact that I joke about it sometimes.

Former employee, I wanted to know whether there is a cemetry at NSH for former patients and heard there was an incinerator at the site. What was the incinerator used for? Animals which were tested, humans, or perhaps to burn of old furniture or possessions from patients who were diseased?
What was the real idea behind the tunnels? Transportation of patients? How were the piers near the river used? What was the employee club house like and what types of events were held in the auditorium? Do you have photos of memorabilia of NSH? That would be neat if you posted them to share with all.

Otay - all is forgiven. I am a terrible softy, just like Marty. :-)

Lynne. :-)

Lynne and Former Employee can go f*** yourselves. You think all this banter or claiming ignorance will somehow absolve you or help you sleep at night, GOOD LUCK! It was my mother that was locked up in there and was overmedicated and raped by Dr. Van. He is currently attempting to pay her off in property and gifts to get her to keep her mouth shut. Both the Federal government and the Geneva Covention say that the abuses that went on in places like NSH are crimes against humanity. They can and will be criminally charged. By the way KNOW IT ALL LYNN my mother stayed in there from 1978 - 1992! The abuse goes on today it's just without walls. Please call me a liar so you can incriminate yourself as you clearly support, condone, and defend the abusers. *JUST REMEMBER HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF A CRIME AND NOT REPORTING IT TO AUTHORITIES MAKES YOU AN ACCESSORY/ AS FOR NOT HAVING TODAYS KNOWLEDGE *** IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE!!!*** THAT'S WHY THERE IS NO LIMITATIONS ON PUNISHING THESE CRIMES. ALSO THE WORLD FOUND HITLER GUILTY

Whitehawk and Blackhawk; Do you have any references or websites that i can go to so that I can read up on the strange medical history of Connecticut ?

Signed: An American Soldier stationed in Germany.

Sorry - giggling too hard to answer . . . . . .

Mesh should only be used on us girl's shirts in the summer!

I don't think anyone should infer something sinister about an incinerator. Most large hospitals (psychiatric or general) have them.

ha ha---whitehawk contradicted himself in BIG BOLD LETTERS...IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE.....KNOWLEDGE OF A CRIME AND NOT REPORTING IT MAKES YOU AN ACCESSORY? how c

how can you say that ignorance is not an excuse if there is a crime being commited? you cant blame one for something that they dont know is happening, silly man!!!

i love the interior and the shape its so iviting who wants to go see it with me lol

All we can say is Silence of the Lambs

Lack of funding is no excuse for mistreatment, nor is ignorance. While it certainly isn't common, it did and does happen even today in psychiatric hospitals. The last time I went inpatient, I met a woman who was attacked (on camera) by a poorly-trained tech at the state hospital simply she kicked a wall -- after being medicated up to her eyeballs by disinterested doctors and uncaring nurses.

On another note, was this unit for treatment for those who were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect or those were deemed unfit to assist in their own defense? There is a difference.

That should have been "those *who* were deemed unfit to assist in their own defense."

Ugh, I hate it when I leave out words. I think faster than I type.

The Salmon House was used to house people that were found to be "Criminally Insane" and had been commited there. As for the damage that they could do to themselves, many didn't care at that time as long as they were locked up society really didn't care how they were treated.

No one knows what happened unless they were there to witness it in person. You can't blame people for being curious after they are force-fed stories about abuse and neglect in such institutions by the media.

Hmmm. It doesn't look like it but I would hope there was some padding to keep the patients from hurting themselves.