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Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: PP2011-11

Abstract

Five hundred black and white and color photos, postcards and negatives depicting buildings and grounds of the Sheppard Pratt facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dates

  • Creation: 1892-2009

Extent

13 binders (503 items)

Creator

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

Portions of the collection are restricted according to HMD's Access to Health Information of Individuals policy. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access. For access to the policy and application form, please visit https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/manuscripts/phi.pdf.

Copyright Information

Copyright was transferred to the public domain. Contact the Reference Staff for details regarding rights.

Historical Note

The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital depicted in this photo collection was established by merchant and philanthropist Moses Sheppard in 1853. A Quaker, Mr. Sheppard was mindful of social ills and desirous of addressing them. When enlisted by prominent social reformer Dorothea Dix to help found an institution in Maryland for the humane care of the mentally ill, Sheppard responded by obtaining a charter from the Maryland General Assembly to establish The Sheppard Asylum, which he funded. His plan stipulated courteous treatment, privacy, sunlight and fresh air for all patients; that no patient be confined below ground; that the asylum combine science and experience for the best possible curative result; and that only income, not principal, be used to build and operate the asylum. The asylum was built on farmland a few miles north of Baltimore City. Another wealthy merchant/philanthropist, Enoch Pratt, made a large bequest to The Sheppard Asylum upon his death in 1896, stipulating that the money be used to complete construction in progress, enlarge the facility to house 200 additional patients, and serve the indigent. He asked also that the name of the institution be changed to The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital. The hospital remains in operation today as one component of the statewide behavioral health provider, Sheppard Pratt Health System. [This biographical note was compiled from information presented on the website of the Sheppard Pratt Health System, http://www.sheppardpratt.org/sp_htmlcode/sp_about/sp_about.aspx, May 2012.]

Collection Summary

The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital Photograph Collection consists of more than 500 photographs and sketches of the buildings and grounds of the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, dating from the late 1890s through 2009. There are both exterior and interior shots of the main facilities and outbuildings, as well as images of the grounds. Patient rooms are shown, along with therapy rooms, dining areas with tables set for meals, kitchens, libraries, sitting areas, a beauty parlor, outdoor patios, and other areas. There are images of patients relaxing, playing cards, receiving hydrotherapy, and walking on the grounds. Occupational therapy activities are depicted, including sports, bookbinding, woodworking, and metalwork. Ponds, fields, farm equipment and livestock herds are shown. The dedication of new buildings, with the governor of Maryland and other political and business figures in attendance, is documented. There are numerous photos of staff, administrators, and trustees.

Abstract

Five hundred black and white and color photos, postcards and negatives depicting buildings and grounds of the Sheppard Pratt facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Provenance

Gift, Dr. W. Byron Forbush, Sheppard Pratt Health System, 2011.

General

Processed by
Sarah Eilers
Encoded by
Sarah Eilers
Title
Finding Aid to the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital Photograph Collection, 1892-2009
Status
Unverified Partial Draft
Author
Sarah Eilers
Date
2012
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latn
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English
Edition statement
1.0

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Prints and Photographs Collections Collecting Area

Contact:
8600 Rockville Pike
Bldg 38/1E-21, MSC 3819
Bethesda MD 20894
1-888-FINDNLM (1-888-346-3656)