Trenton Psychiatric Hospital (originally known as the New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum) was founded by Dorothea Dix in 1848 and is still operational today. Parts of it are abandoned, hence these photos, but out of respect for the current patients and staff, I highly discourage exploring there.
Trenton’s unfortunate claim to fame is being the asylum where Dr. Henry Cotton (medical director from 1907-1930) removed patients’ teeth and organs, believing mental illness was caused by infection. Countless patients died or were disfigured under his care. Although Dr. Cotton’s hypothesis and practice became widely derided, modern scientists have drawn connections between tooth decay and Alzheimer’s, so although his methods were barbaric and his conclusions dubious, it’s possible he wasn’t *entirely* wrong. On a more optimistic note, Dr. Cotton is also credited with removing the hospital’s mechanical restraints and improving patient care methods.
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