Manteno
State Hospital's Mental Health Museum
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Staff
demonstrates the use of restraining chair and
muff. |
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| The
restraining chair (above) was one of the devices
used to restrain mental patients who grew violent
in the days before tranquilizers were invented.
It was one of the many devices Miss Cassandra Sharp
borrowed from Peoria State Hospital for display
at Manteno State's museum last November. A replica
of this chair, as well as the Utica Crib, is now
undergoing construction at the mechanical department's
carpenter shop. Both will be placed on display when
the hospital's permanent mental health museum opens. |
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| Here's
the recently completed Utica Crib which will be
an important permanent part of Manteno State Hospital's
Mental Health Museum. The machinist, Dennis Vatterman,
who did the iron work - the hinges and lock - sits
inside, trying it for size. Glenn Theesfeld, the
painter who painted it is at far left. Ray Davereau
(with him) and Glenn Brown (other side of the crib)
are the two carpenters who built it. All are members
of the hospital's mechanical department. The crib
was made of oak which had been ordered some years
back but never used, THese cribs, used during the
19th century, were lined at the bottom with straw,
the patient was placed within and they were locked. |
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| Metal
hinges and the device where the lock for the Utica
Crib can be fastened, as shown in this picture,
were made by machinist Dennis Batterman in order
to provide old-time authenticity. All the dowels
were also made by hand by carpenter Glenn Brown,
who is shown here making a dowel. |
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