https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/2f95c7f8-e58c-4275-b44e-c5bbeac46e53 Support Our Channel : https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Created at the Columbus State Hospital in the 1950s, “City of the Sick” explores the environment, staff, and modern treatment methods within a state hospital for the mentally ill, contrasted with the historical view of asylums. According to Professor Robert Wagner, who helped create the film, it was actually intended for new attendants and "was both instructional and motivational. We tried to establish how mental patients behave and how an attendant should react to what went on inside the hospital as an introduction to his work." The institution closed in the late 1980s and the Kirkbride was razed in 1991. 0:00: The film opens by contrasting the "efficient, big, strong" American city with the grim reality that one in every 20 Americans will be struck by mental illness. This results in a huge loss of ability, energy, and talent, leading these individuals to the "city of the sick"—a state hospital for the mentally ill. 1:36 Historically, state hospitals were elaborate, solidly built custodial asylums meant for safe seclusion. In the past, the mentally ill were "herded behind bars, chained and beaten," with insanity viewed as a disgraceful, mysterious disease without hope of cure. Today, the picture is changing. Iron bars are giving way to modern safety windows and new ideas. Modern treatment centers are replacing asylums, and state hospitals are expanding their treatment facilities. 2:48 More than 175,000 Americans were admitted to mental hospitals last year. The film notes that there are enough patients in one hospital alone to populate a small city, comprising people from all walks of life, races, and ages. 3:14 The narrator, Bill Harper, introduces himself as a psychiatric aide/attendant. He explains that the hospital is a place where people are being treated and cured. Ward attendants (4:24) are responsible for the daily feeding, clothing, and care of 30 to 60 patients and are the person the patient relies on most. The attendant is the "key man" who can make the hospital a prison or a treatment center. 4:58 Harper recounts his first week when he tried to bully a resistant patient ("Mr. X") into going for a walk, failing because the patient was sick, and rough treatment only made him more difficult. Johnny Mitchell, an experienced attendant, intervened. An experienced attendant must be calm and not rough. 7:08 Harper reports for his 8-hour shift (1 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Keys are important for protection. He receives a report from the previous shift's attendant, Ralph Johnson. They record the number and condition of patients, count drugs, and check sharp instruments. Johnson points out patients needing special attention, who might try "something desperate." 8:56 Harper takes charge of 60 mentally ill people. He notes the ward is overcrowded. Attendants must ensure proper ventilation and temperature (9:22) for comfort, as happier people are easier to handle. 10:09 Routine jobs include housekeeping and bed pan duty. The most important quality in this work is sympathy and understanding. 11:21 The average patient is often fearful, depressed, or suspicious, not raving or screaming. 12:32- The social worker’s report reveals the patient was a successful businessman whose mental illness was triggered by stress, business failure, and the death of his wife. 13:41 A modern medical team includes the Psychiatrist (13:51), Psychologist (14:21): Determines the degree of emotional disturbance through studies like the Rorschach test (inkblots). Hydrotherapist (14:49): Uses tubs of warm, circulating water to quiet and relax overactive patients. Physician (15:17): Administers treatments like electroshock and insulin shock, which can mean early recovery. Registered Nurse (15:33). Recreational Therapist (15:52): Organizes sports and physical outlets to improve physical and mental health. Occupational Therapist (16:27): Uses activities to restore the patient's sense of self-confidence. 16:56 All state hospitals have chapels. 18:00- Half of all first-time patients leave improved or recovered within a year or less (18:03). After discharge, the social worker continues to guide them. The modern state hospital is no longer a prison but a city where the sick can become well again. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. We collect, scan and preserve 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have films you'd like to have scanned or donate to Periscope Film, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the link below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmme572kEqs Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Fri, 12 Jun 2026 03:22:59 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/2f95c7f8-e58c-4275-b44e-c5bbeac46e53 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.