Marianne Laube
English 12
Kuppe
March 19, 2013
Athens Lunatic Asylum
The Athens Lunatic Asylum was a mental hospital in Athens, Ohio from 1874-1993.
During its operation, the hospital provided many different types of services to a variety of people
such as, children, Civil War soldiers, and violent criminals. It is best known for its lobotomy
procedure. A lobotomy is a surgical operation involving incision into the prefrontal lobe of the
brain, formally used to “treat mental illness.” After the hospitals original structure closed the
state of Ohio acquired the property and had renamed it “The Ridges.” It is said that the hospital
had a fatal death of a female patient and her spirit now haunts the hospital. The public cannot
access a majority of the information about the patients who were treated and lived as a resident
in the asylum. “There are 1,930 people buried at the three cemeteries located at the Ridges. Of
those, 700 women and 959 men lay under headstones marked only with a number.” In 1943,
Ohio began to put names, births, and deaths upon the markers of the patients who had died. By
the 1980‘s Ohio had stopped taking care for the cemeteries. Since the takeover, more information
has been found out about the patients that are buried in the three cemeteries. A large portion of
information had been recovered is about the veterans that had spent the rest of their lives in the
asylum. By the early 1990‘s, many of the original structure had fallen apart and were no longer
used by the hospital and it was left abandoned. Most buildings have been renovated and turned
into classrooms and office buildings. The dairy barn also had been remodeled. The largest well
known cottage that has not been renovated is the old tubercular ward or “cottage B.” It sits
sheltered on a hill far away from much of the buildings. Annual reports of 1909 show records of
the first year the cottage was used. It was isolated because the illness was so contagious. Its walls
now line with asbestos, which also make it more of a health hazard. Ironically enough asbestos
was not known to be harmful and cause lung cancer, so the patients were being exposed to
chemicals making their breathing even more difficult. Many nurses and doctors had to stand up
and become a leader to help the mentally ill. A leader is someone trying to help another, to not
help them but to know that they are treating others. After graduation I am going to be going to
school for about eight to ten years to get my PH.D and become a psychiatrist, working in a
psychiatric ward. I would love to help others, and learn more about the brain, how it works and
how it affects others. When I get my PH.D I will have become one of the leaders amongst this
field of work. I will show great amounts of leadership when taking on challenges, giving advice
and helping others that are in need.