Excerpt from Annual Report of the Illinois Department
of Public Welfare
Manteno State Hospital - July 1, 1936 - June 30, 1937
Patient population at close of year June 30, 1937
- 2,828 in 1936 and 3,189 in 1937
Members of the medical staff as of June 30, 1937, included:
Dr. Ralph T. Hinton, Managing Officer
Dr. Bernard Skorodin, Senior Physician
Dr. Maurice Becker, Junior Physician
Dr. M. L. Fisher, Junior Physician
Dr. A. H. Gollmar, Junior Physician
Dr. Dan S. Hur, Junior Physician
Dr. J. B. Mossman, Junior Physician
Dr. K. H. Tutunjian, Junior Physician
Dr. E. J. Gagnon, Junior Dentist
The building program mentioned in the last report is
almost completed. At this writing two of the cottages
have been occupied, and by the first of September all
construction should be completed. With the completion
of this project, the Hospital will have a bed capacity
of approximately 6,300.
Two recent discoveries in psychiatry, namely; insulin
and *metrazol injections for mental disease have been
considered by the medical staff and after careful thought
it was decided to give metrazol a trial. Twenty-five
*dementia praecox patients were immediately placed on
active treatment. The Hospital has witnessed most remarkable
and at times spectacular changes in the mental symptoms
of some of the patients, and a few of them have improves
sufficiently to be eligible for parole. The time is
too short to permit the staff to draw definite conclusions,
but it is hoped that in the next report it is possible
to make a few more definite statements.
With the opening of a few additional buildings it is
hoped to reclassify our patients. This is being done
at the present time but cannot be completed until more
buildings are opened. Certain cottages will then be
occupied by habit-training patients, others by infirm,
ambulatory and bed-ridden, others by industrial and
the like.
During the months of April, May and June a school of
instruction for attendants was inaugurated.
Federal Art Project
Last year the fact was recorded that through the courtesy
of *Mrs. Increase Robinson, Assistant Director of the
Federal Art Project, the Hospital was able to secure
a number of murals for the lobby of the Administration
Building. During the year additional murals have been
received and put in place. All of the panels in the
lobby now contain murals with the exception of one large
and four small ones. *Mr. Gustaf Dalstrom, the artist,
has these under way and they will probably be placed
in position within the next few weeks. When completed,
the lobby will present a very attractive appearance.
As indicated in the last report these murals have a
historic setting and are based on a poem by Oliver W.
Barnard who was at one time the owner of the land which
now comprises the campus of the institution.
Singer
The building will have a capacity of 364 beds. It is
divided into 8 units, 4 each for the male and female
services. Quarters for male patients are located in
the eastern half of the building, the female units in
the western half. Each unit, in turn, is divided into
single rooms, 2,3,6 and 16 bed dormitories. In addition
each unit is comprised of a large day room, toilet and
bathrooms. utility rooms and clothes room. All corridors,
and rooms are finished with terra cotta.
Soiled linens and laundry from each section on both
floors can be easily disposed of by dropping into chutes
which lead to rooms in the basement. From here ready
access is had to outside entrances. Incinerators for
the disposal of waste material and refuse are located
in each of the two sections and are accessible from
each floor. Doors leading to the incinerator openings
are equipped with special locks affording maximum safety.
Four dining rooms and diet kitchens are centrally located.
Doors from each of the two adjoining units leaf into
each of the dining rooms. The equipment in the diet
kitchen is finished in monel metal. A large electric
refrigerator is also included. Food prepared in the
general kitchen will be conveyed in vacuum food containers,
trucks conveying the food entering the inner court through
an archway on the South to the unloading platforms at
the rear od the first floor kitchens. The diet kitchens
are equipped to prepare special diets for those patients
needing them.
The hydrotherapeutic units include the hydrotherapist's
office, stimulating baths, hydriatic baths, continuous
baths, massage room and a large pack room will contain
twenty pack tables. The continuous bath room is provided
with six continuous bath tubs, automatically regulated.
When one enters the main part of the building through
a spacious doorway he will find a large octagonal lobby
with walls of Cordova Shell marble. An interesting feature
of this marble is the fossil evidence of prehistoric
marine life. The floor of the lobby is of beautifully
shaded terazzo. A design is built into the central secion
of the lobby floor indicating the four points of the
compass. The floors throughout the entire building are
constructed of terazzo with beautifully matched borders.
All corridors as well as the dayrooms and dining rooms
have sound proof ceilings.
To the right of the lobby entrance is located the office
of the information clerk and clinical stenographers.
In the lobby and the adjacent to the information office
is located a bulletin board and medical directory. To
the left of the entrance is the office of the assistant
managing officer and offices for members of the medical
staff.
The X-ray laboratory is located to the east and south
of the lobby and is of adequate size and well arranged
for the convenience of the X-Ray technician. The present
X-Ray equipment is being moved from the Hospital (Bowen)
building. SOme additional equipment has been purchased
which will tend to make a well equipped laboratory.
Adjacent to the X-Ray laboratory is a room which we
use for the diagnosis and treatment of genito-urinary
diseases. It is equipped with a urological table. The
dark room is equipped with a thermostatically controlled
developing tank.
The suite of dental offices is located to the west and
south of the lobby. The suite consists of two operating
rooms with a dental laboratory inter-connecting. New
dental equipment had been purchased for one of the operating
ooms and consists of a dental chair of the latest type
with cuspidor attachment. A new DX X-Ray unit has been
purchaesd. The present equipment in the dental office
in the basement of White Cottage will be transferred
to the second operating room.
An Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Department is locaed off
the East corridor from the lobby. It is equipped with
a chair of the latest design with a fountain and cuspidor
attachment. Other equipment will include a medical and
surgical supply cabinet, instrument tables and a set
of diagnostic instruments.
Adjacent to the eye, ear, nose and throat room will
be a room used for cardiology and metabolism. The equipment
will include a cardiograph and metabolator.
On the second floor the room of outstanding distinction
is the medical library. Book cases of solid walnut,
having a capacity of several hundred volumes, are located
at both the east and west ends of the room. In the center
of the room stands a large walnut library table of 10
feet in length and around which will be placed large
and comfortable chairs. In this room all staff conferences
will be conducted as well as the presentation of cases
for diagnosis and treatment.
The social service department will have a large spacious
office divided into a consultation office and waiting
room. This office is located on the second floor just
to the west of the medical library.
A psychologist's laboratory and office adjoins the social
service office to the west and to the south.
The clinical laboratory located to the east of the medical
library will consist of three rooms and is modernly
equipped. The equipment will include such items as an
autoclave, a distilling apparatus for the triple distilling
of water, a large centrifuge, and electric incubator,
a binocular microscope, an analytical balance and a
colorimeter for blood examination.
The physiotherapy rooms for both male and female patients
are conveniently located and well arranged. The equipment
consists of Quartz lamps, infra red lamps, inductotherm,
variable frequency diathermy and a multiple wave generator.
In the central portion of the building in which the
offices and various branches of the medical service
is located are 4 general examining rooms, 2 on each
floor. These rooms are fully equipped with examination
tables of the latest type, medical and surgical supply
cabinets, Mayo instrument racks, irrigators, hot and
cold water sterilizers, instrument sterilizers, dressing
containers, stands and other items of common requirements
in an examination room. Each of the examining rooms
will be adjoined with a waiting room with toilet and
dressing room facilities.
The pharmacy is located in the basement and is equipped
with cabinets and facilities which are of the latest
design. In conjunction with the pharmacy proper are
two large staorage roo,s and a large roo, tpo be iused
for the compouding and manufacture of pharmacy preparations.
New patients entering the institution will be received
through two side entrances which lead to the receiving
rooms in the basement. From the waiting rooms a newly
admitted patient will be taken to an adjoining room
which is divided into boths. The patients will be given
baths immediately, given clean gowns and then taken
to the receiving ward on the floor above by means of
the elevator. In this way the Hospital hope to aoid
all confusion which usually accompanies the reception
of new patients. All articles of clothing will be taken
to an adjoining room for sterilization.
NOTES:
*note: Metrazol is a camphor-like substance that when
injected produced an epileptic seizure (Rafvik, 1991:91).
(metrazol shock therapy) Metrazol treatment was feared
and hated by the patients.
*note: dementia praecox (premature or "early"
dementia - Kraepelin)
*note:Gustaf Oscar Dalstrom
Born January 18, 1893 in Gothland, Sweden. Married to
Frances Foy. Died May 1971 in Chicago, IL. Studied:
Art Institute of Chicago; George Bellows, Randall Davey.
Member: Chicago Society of Artists; Chicago NJSA; Chicago
SE. Exhibited: Scand-Am Exhibit, Chicago, 1929 (prize);
Chicago SA (gold); Chicago SE, 1934 (prize). Work: Museum
of Modern Art, New York. WPA artist. (40).WWW/85
*note:October 1935 - Mrs. Increase Robinson is promoted
to Illinois Assistant State Director to the Federal
Art Project. She opens the Federal Art Project Studio
at 433 East Erie Street, Chicago, IL. 1937 - Peterpaul
Ott, Evanston artist and head of the Illinois Sculpture
Division, is fired by Mrs. Increase Robinson. The Chicago
Artists' Union organizes a nationwide strike in response.
June 1937 - Gregory Orloff, artist, is fired from the
Chicago area Mills and Lake View High School mural projects
by Mrs. Increase Robinson. Once again protests ensue.
March 1938 - Mrs. Increase Robinson is fired as the
Illinois Assistant State Director.
