Permanent Changes After the Civil War
The numbers referenced in the preceding image raise a crucial question: How did the Civil Rights Movement change the Hospital?
The number of patients quintupled from the beginning of the 1860s to the 1870s. This was because of the inclusion of all individuals. Just before the Civil Rights Movement, the hospital-owned over 80 buildings on campus. It almost appeared as a small city because of the features the buildings included. Workshops and entertainment such as an amphitheater were built and laundry facilities were designed to create jobs as well as clean patients. [1] The hospital welcomed people of all races, religions, and backgrounds due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.” The story of this hospital is another staple in history that demonstrates the treatment African Americans were provided with. Although the hospital was the first hospital to offer treatment exclusively to the black population of Virginia, professional medical care for mentally ill African Americans was almost entirely non-existent before the civil war. Before the Civil war, “abundant leakages” and rotten floors were the conditions that patients had to deal with. There were also rodent infestations in the kitchen areas including pantries and refrigerators. The hospital went on for 97 years without permanent proper care until the result of white patients arriving. Upgrades and hospital services were accomplished.
Upgrades to the building were not the only changes during the transition. Treatments were studied and introduced in the mid-1960s and the staff was better trained for emergency circumstances. In addition, the increase in employees after the Civil War helped patients be supervised and encouraged in the assignments given. The hospital's inclusion led to more humane treatments which helped people better understand mental illnesses. The majority of society had the mindset of being scared of the individuals in these asylums because of the reputation that the hospital had. However, helping patients receive the proper care that they needed helped humanize those patients. The consequences of the Civil War showed the hospital that some of the reasonings for patients being admitted were not valid.
[1] “Central State Hospital Campus Map.” About CSH | Central State Hospital - We Value H.O.P.E., https://csh.dbhds.virginia.gov/about.html.