[or-roots] Oregon Insane Asylums

[Gary Murray]

my grandfather died in the mental inst. of oregon in salem in 1944.  my mom 
and her sisters were always leery of telling anyone that since he wasn't 
crazy but was in the first stages of dementia.  he and my grandmother lived 
in hillsboro.  he died in 1944 and i just barely remember him.  very tall, 
white hair, and thin.  1944 wasn't that long ago for some of us so we have 
come quite a distance.
gary in az.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kith-n-Kin" <Kith-n-Kin at cox.net>
To: <or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:27 PM
Subject: RE: [or-roots] Oregon Insane Asylums


>A really good place to "visit" are the records of the Insane Asylum in the 
>State Archives.
>
> It is pretty clear, as you read the "presenting conditions", that people 
> went there for all sorts of
> reasons, including "her husband said. . . " to "he got dementia from 
> sitting in the sun. . " and on and
> on.
>
> Some drinking, some old, some just "there" -- for no reason that would be 
> acceptable today.
>
> If I had anyone confined there, I'd be sure to get the admission and death 
> records -- you never know what
> you'll find.
>
> As to the sterilization of handicapped people -- we were doing that as 
> recently as 1978.  Well, it was
> either that, or give out birth-control pills, or deliver babies to 
> institutionalized people and find
> someone else to care for them. Things changed when deinstitutionalization 
> took place.  And, don't get me
> started on that!
>
> Be grateful we don't live in that world anymore!
>
> Pat (in Tucson)
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> or-roots mailing list
> or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us
> http://sosinet.sos.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/or-roots