Glore Psychiatric Museum: The devices [Part 2]

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Visiting the Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri, is an emotional experience.

You will be staggered by some of the perverse devices “professionals” used to treat people.

The disbelief in past treatments is put into perspective by Dr. James Reynolds, former Medical Director of the Northwest Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center in St. Joseph, commonly referred to as the old Hospital #2.

“They truly thought, with the resources they had, they were helping people. I ask myself today when they will look back 50 years from now at the medication and treatments I prescribed and wonder, what was he thinking?”

One of the disciplines in the Hippocratic Oath is primum non nocere, “first, do no harm.” I think some old doctors must have been sick themselves that day of medical school and missed it.

A few of the devices used on patients on display at the museum were inhumane, medieval, torturous and sadistic. Now that we have gotten those adjectives out of the way let’s move on to the contraptions themselves. To a common thinking person, just coming up with the thought that these would/could be beneficial is bewildering.

The Stockade/Lunatic Box

Lunatic Box (Photo submitted by Bob Ford)

This “treatment” dates back to the 16th and 17th century and is about confinement. Many thought oddly acting people had bad blood or were raised improperly? A little bloodletting and public humiliation in the town square for days on-end should do the trick. Bloodletting was a way thought to remove impurities from the body.

The Hollow Wheel

Hollow Wheel (Photo submitted by Bob Ford)

The Wheel is basically a hamster wheel for humans used in the 17th and 18th centuries to run the demons out of your system. They would put a poor soul in there for 36-48 hours obviously breaking bones and no doubt killing patients.

The Bath of Surprise

Bath of Surprise (Photo submitted by Bob Ford)

Early hydrotherapy, today seen at carnivals or festivals and called a dunk tank. In history, it was used to shock the system into producing better blood.

Douching Tube

A form of waterboarding, which is used to interrogate prisoners to gain information – very effective. Used in historic treatments to shock the body, relieving one of their demons with large streams of very cold water in the face for a long period of time.

Tranquilizer Chair

Developed by Philadelphian Benjamin Rush who should be remembered for signing the Declaration of Independence. Rush was before his time and considered, “the Father of American Psychology.” This chair, however, leaves you speechless. Patients would be confined in the thing for months! Really how could something like this be considered therapeutic even in the 18th century?

So many of these devices and treatments fortify the ability of people, back then, to emotionally detach themselves from others. No empathy or connection was made to the treatment of slaves or the “crazies.” How could one human not have basic feelings for the mistreatment of another, still bewilders me and, most of the perpetrators considered themselves Christians!

O’Hallern’s Twirling Box

This is the favorite of Kami Jones of Glore Psychiatric Museum. One would be strapped in for hours and twirl, forcing your blood through centrifugal force to go to the outer parts of the body, flinging your blood and cleansing it.

I find it difficult in writing this stuff, imagining the absolute pain and suffering inflicted on poor, misunderstood victims, “man's inhumanity to man.”

If seeing these devices intrigue you, be sure to visit the museum, but be ready, they may haunt you. Kami gives a wonderful tour and her podcast can be heard at bobfordshistory.com.

Dr. Reynolds is right, however, “What will others think of treatments today with the ability to look back years from now?” One in six Americans are on antidepressants with science just now understanding the side effects of long-term use.

And now what of the long-term effects of the weight loss drugs so many are using with glee?

Of course, most of our psychological and weight loss prescriptions have to deal with the almighty dollar. Big Pharma has control of Congress and the agency that is supposed to regulate them; it's all about politics and profit.

Let’s hope, and I think we are on a slow comeback course where wholesome natural treatments and healthier food choices will replace over prescribed antidepressants. The change will have to come from a grassroots effort, educating the patient with effective alternatives.

Weight loss drugs are another issue. Do you trust Big Pharma to study the side effects of these drugs they are making incredible profits from?

I wonder how many pharmaceutical executives and politicians are taking these designer prescriptions – ”another Scotch on the rocks, please!”

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You can find more of Bob’s work on his website at bobfordshistory.com and videos on YouTube, Tik Tok and Clapper. To contact him directly, email robertmford@aol.com