4. Dangerous ‘Treatments’
In 19th-century asylums, so-called medical treatments were often more torturous than therapeutic. Bloodletting, blistering, purging, and prolonged ice baths were widely practiced, driven by misguided medical theories rather than evidence. Patients would be subjected to repeated procedures that left them weakened, traumatized, and sometimes even dead. These interventions were not only ineffective but also carried a high risk of infection and long-term harm. The prevalence of such brutal “therapies” highlights how little was understood about mental illness—and how quickly suffering was compounded under the guise of care.
