Mental Health in Turn of the Century Essex County, NJ

Mental health facilitates in Essex County, New Jersey accommodated a wide range of patients with varying conditions.  During this time, treatment facilities and practices of care were evolving in step with more enlightened approaches to mental health and psychiatry.  However, many attitudes towards those suffering from mental illness remained decidedly unsympathetic and reflected gender, race, nationality, and class biases of the time.  This exhibit showcases descriptions, statistics, and document excerpts that exemplify these complex issues surrounding mental health care in Newark and beyond during the late 19th and early 20th century.