General Discussion

octoberlib

(14,971 posts) Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:12 PM Dec 2018

This list of reasons for admission to a "lunatic asylum" in the 1800s

Link to tweet

Some of these pairings, like bad habits and political excitement and fever and loss of lawsuit are weird. Apparently people could be thrown in an asylum for anything back then.

19 replies

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Highlight:

This list of reasons for admission to a "lunatic asylum" in the 1800s (Original Post) octoberlib Dec 2018 OP

Masturbation for 30 years? I'm done .. Lochloosa Dec 2018 #1

Looks like that's most of the dudes here on DU! Docreed2003 Dec 2018 #8

Also says suppression of masterbation doc03 Dec 2018 #11

WTF is that? Lochloosa Dec 2018 #14

Damned if you do, damned if you don't... LakeSuperiorView Dec 2018 #15

Rumor of husband murder, this whole list is straght up insane. dewsgirl Dec 2018 #2

Deranged masturbation? dflprincess Dec 2018 #3

Suppose they're reading a novel Harker Dec 2018 #5

I also see "Suppressed Masturbation" on the list. Mister Ed Dec 2018 #6

Ok, it's your "time of life" to go to the asylum dalton99a Dec 2018 #4

Uh oh. Harker Dec 2018 #7

Gathering in the head means meningitis ProudLib72 Dec 2018 #9

These are actually reasons for WOMEN obamanut2012 Dec 2018 #10

No, I think it's unisex though a lot of the items on the list would only apply to women dflprincess Dec 2018 #12

Here's the fact check on this from Snopes oberliner Dec 2018 #13

"Bloody Flux" is a winner. MrScorpio Dec 2018 #16

Parents are cousins? Pretty much everyone doc03 Dec 2018 #17

That's a West Virginia area code - 304 FakeNoose Dec 2018 #18

So pretty much anything other than breathe (normally) got you committed n/t Blaukraut Dec 2018 #19

Lochloosa

(16,804 posts)

1. Masturbation for 30 years? I'm done ..

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:37 PM

Dec 2018

Docreed2003

(18,714 posts)

8. Looks like that's most of the dudes here on DU!

Reply to Lochloosa (Reply #1)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:05 PM

Dec 2018

doc03

(39,184 posts)

11. Also says suppression of masterbation

Reply to Lochloosa (Reply #1)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:18 PM

Dec 2018

Lochloosa

(16,804 posts)

14. WTF is that?

Reply to doc03 (Reply #11)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:29 PM

Dec 2018

LakeSuperiorView

(1,533 posts)

15. Damned if you do, damned if you don't...

Reply to Lochloosa (Reply #14)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:33 PM

Dec 2018

dewsgirl

(14,965 posts)

2. Rumor of husband murder, this whole list is straght up insane.

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:39 PM

Dec 2018

30 years of masturbation. Super weird.

dflprincess

(29,417 posts)

3. Deranged masturbation?

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:46 PM

Dec 2018

I know I'm stereotyping but wouldn't that cover most adolescent boys?

Harker

(18,159 posts)

5. Suppose they're reading a novel

Reply to dflprincess (Reply #3)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:53 PM

Dec 2018

at the time? That might warrant a padded cell.

Mister Ed

(6,991 posts)

6. I also see "Suppressed Masturbation" on the list.

Reply to dflprincess (Reply #3)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:54 PM

Dec 2018

So it looks as though you can't win, no matter what.

dalton99a

(95,297 posts)

4. Ok, it's your "time of life" to go to the asylum

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:48 PM

Dec 2018

Looks like Donald Trump could qualify under a bunch of them

Harker

(18,159 posts)

7. Uh oh.

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 09:57 PM

Dec 2018

I worked for nearly a year at a Salvation Army thrift store.

ProudLib72

(17,984 posts)

9. Gathering in the head means meningitis

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:09 PM

Dec 2018

Looked it up. Wow! Who knew a prolonged stay in the loony bin could cure a bacterial infection?

obamanut2012

(29,512 posts)

10. These are actually reasons for WOMEN

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:13 PM

Dec 2018

Who could be tossed in by their husbands or sons just because, and often were.

dflprincess

(29,417 posts)

12. No, I think it's unisex though a lot of the items on the list would only apply to women

Reply to obamanut2012 (Reply #10)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:19 PM

Dec 2018

but I doubt if "Fell from horse in war" would have applied to many females of that era.

oberliner

(58,724 posts)

13. Here's the fact check on this from Snopes

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:26 PM

Dec 2018

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/reasons-admission-insane-asylum-1800s/

MrScorpio

(73,778 posts)

16. "Bloody Flux" is a winner.

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:37 PM

Dec 2018

doc03

(39,184 posts)

17. Parents are cousins? Pretty much everyone

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Sun Dec 16, 2018, 10:53 PM

Dec 2018

in WV could be put away.

FakeNoose

(42,421 posts)

18. That's a West Virginia area code - 304

Reply to doc03 (Reply #17)

Mon Dec 17, 2018, 12:18 AM

Dec 2018

Blaukraut

(6,004 posts)

19. So pretty much anything other than breathe (normally) got you committed n/t

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Mon Dec 17, 2018, 12:25 AM

Dec 2018

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