Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Department of Mental Hygiene - Modesto State Hospital
- Language:
- English.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The records of the Department of Mental Hygiene - Modesto State Hospital consist of 191 file folders spanning the period 1900-1972. The records are organized into one series: Patient Case Files.
The Patient Case Files provide medical history and biographical information about patients housed at Modesto State Hospital. Files typically contain various types of reports, notes, death and discharge certificates, and occasionally significant correspondence. Files have been heavily sampled and reflect only a small percentage of total patients. Files ending in zero and fat files have been retained. Fat files are large because either the patient was institutionalized over a long period or was admitted repeatedly for a specific illness, frequently alcoholism.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Modesto State Hospital, formerly Hammond Army Hospital, was purchased from the federal government in November 1946. Under Statutes 1946, Ch. 129, Modesto State Hospital was to function as a temporary state mental institution to relieve overcrowding in established facilities. The hospital began receiving patients in late 1947. By law no commitments could be made to Modesto State Hospital; it was required to receive patients from other state mental institutions through transfers. The hospital was equipped from its beginning to accept both the mentally ill and the mentally deficient. In September 1951, Modesto became a permanent hospital and was eligible to receive direct admissions (Statutes 1951, Ch. 525). By 1963, the hospital was reorganized to receive only the mentally ill. In that same year, Modesto's population exceeded its rated capacity of 2,369. After 1963, population declined until the facility was closed in 1972.
- Physical description:
- 191 file folders
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
-
1020 "O" StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 653-2246