Lost Patients: Episode 3 – Nostalgia

Podcast Information:

• Title: Lost Patients
• Host/Author: KUOW News and Information
• Description: Lost Patients is a six-part docuseries that delves into the complexities of mental healthcare in America, particularly focusing on how the system often fails individuals with severe mental illnesses. This episode, titled "Nostalgia," explores the historical and emotional landscapes of psychiatric care through personal narratives and investigative reporting.

Introduction

The episode "Nostalgia" opens with Will James (00:00), the host and reporter, introducing the sensitive and potentially disturbing nature of the content, which includes topics such as rape, suicide, and surgical procedures related to mental health treatments. The narrative begins with a poignant family moment involving Carrie Davidson (00:00–02:31), whose journey to uncover her great grandmother Lillian Massey's history at Northern State Hospital serves as the central thread of the episode.

Carrie Davidson’s Quest to Uncover Family History

Family Revelation and Motivation:

• Carrie Davidson recounts a day spent driving through Seattle with her grandmother suffering from dementia (00:29–02:31). A recovered memory leads to the revelation of her great grandmother, Lillian Massey, igniting a deep personal search for her family's past (01:39).

Discovery of Northern State Hospital:

• Carrie discovers that Lillian Massey died in 1934 and was a resident of Northern State Hospital, a now-abandoned psychiatric institution (02:31–04:55).
• Carrie Davidson: “I was like, I'm going to find her. And so I joined Ancestry and started looking...” (01:39)

Northern State Hospital: A Historical Overview

Description and Legacy:

• Will James describes Northern State Hospital as a sprawling, now-ruined psychiatric facility that operated until 1973 (02:31–04:55). The hospital serves as a symbol of the complicated and often flawed mental healthcare system in the U.S.
• The institution housed not only those with severe mental illnesses but also marginalized groups, including immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community (05:33–07:14).

Sidney Brownstone’s Investigation:

• Sidney Brownstone, an investigative reporter, explores the dilapidated campus of Northern State, uncovering the neglect and forgotten histories of its patients (05:33–07:14).
• Sidney Brownstone: “This space, this cemetery, made it hit home for me...” (06:37)

Uncovering Lillian Massey’s Story

Personal Struggles and Institutionalization:

• Carrie uncovers that Lillian Massey was raped at 15, later married the rapist, who then sent her to Northern State Hospital while she was pregnant and suffering from untreated syphilis (08:51–11:39).
• Carrie Davidson: “He destroyed her. And she had nobody to speak for her.” (10:19)

Institutional Records and Emotional Impact:

• Carrie and Sidney search through state archives, revealing Lillian’s brief time with her family before being re-institutionalized, leaving a legacy of pain passed down through generations (13:10–46:14).
• Carrie Davidson breaks down upon discovering overlapping dates between Lillian’s parole and her grandfather’s birth, highlighting the personal toll of institutionalization (43:32–46:14).

Voices from the Past: Interviews and Personal Accounts

Joanne McInnis – Former Nurse:

• Joanne McInnis, now in her 90s, reflects on her experiences working at Northern State in the 1950s, discussing the dichotomy of compassionate care and unethical medical treatments (21:38–38:44).
• Joanne McInnis: “I learned so much about human behavior to really listen, to be more patient. I felt love there.” (37:45)

Merlin Rainwater – Daughter of a Former Patient:

• Merlin Rainwater shares memories of visiting her father, Emmett, at Northern State, including his experiences with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and his eventual suicide (24:00–31:26).
• Merlin Rainwater: “The toughest thing I can remember during that last week was the so called Funkenstein test...” (33:43)

Medical Practices and Ethical Reflections

Historical Treatments:

• The episode delves into controversial treatments used at Northern State, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), insulin coma therapy, hydrotherapy, and lobotomies (28:59–37:09).
• Will James explains ECT’s evolution from brutal involuntary procedures to modern, patient-consented treatments (28:59–31:12).

Joanne McInnis on Lobotomies:

• Joanne McInnis describes performing transorbital lobotomies, detailing the invasive and harmful nature of these procedures (36:21–37:09).
• Sidney Brownstone recounts the grotesque process: “...like, a doctor would take two instruments, they look like ice picks... and insert each into the eye socket...” (36:21–36:51).

Ethical Dilemmas and Personal Guilt:

• The episode highlights the moral conflicts faced by medical professionals like Joanne, who grappled with the balance between perceived patient care and the harsh realities of psychiatric treatments (36:51–38:44).
• Joanne McInnis: “I hope that what you're doing is correct and is helpful.” (37:31)

Institutional Motivations and Societal Impacts

Economic and Social Drivers:

• Northern State Hospital was initially established not only as a mental health facility but also as a means to stimulate local economy and development in Sedro Woolley (14:05–18:03).
• Sidney Brownstone reflects on the underlying motives: “...what are your inputs when you're creating these places?...cost savings...” (40:29–41:07).

Eugenics and Population Control:

• The episode uncovers the dark chapter of eugenics at Northern State, where over 100 patients were sterilized under the guise of preventing future societal costs (19:34–20:42).
• Sidney Brownstone: “...because of inheritance of inferior or antisocial traits, will probably become a social menace...” (19:34–20:42).

Personal Legacies and Systemic Failures

Intergenerational Trauma:

• Emmett, Carrie's grandfather, survived Northern State but struggled with its legacy, ultimately dying by suicide, a pain passed to his daughter Merlin (41:07–42:37).
• Merlin Rainwater: “There’s this underlying layer of just rage, pure fury and rage...” (42:11).

Carrie Davidson’s Emotional Journey:

• Carrie’s relentless pursuit to acknowledge Lillian's existence underscores the personal effects of systemic failures in mental healthcare (42:37–46:14).
• Carrie Davidson: “She’s in there somewhere. I just gotta find her.” (43:18).

Reflections and Conclusions

Contradictions in Care:

• The episode juxtaposes personal, compassionate care with systemic control and unethical treatments, showcasing the complex legacy of institutions like Northern State Hospital (39:15–40:29).
• Sidney Brownstone: “...we can look to these institutions as places where care was received...and care was ultimately...to control people...” (39:15–39:48).

Lessons for Modern Mental Healthcare:

• The history of Northern State serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for compassionate, patient-centered care to prevent repeating past mistakes (Will James toward the end).

Hope for the Future:

• As Northern State shuts down, the episode hints at a new era of psychiatric care, learning from the past to forge more humane and effective mental health services (Conclusion).

Notable Quotes

• Carrie Davidson (01:39): “I was like, I'm going to find her. And so I joined Ancestry and started looking...”
• Sidney Brownstone (06:37): “This space, this cemetery, made it hit home for me...”
• Joanne McInnis (37:45): “I learned so much about human behavior to really listen, to be more patient. I felt love there.”
• Merlin Rainwater (33:43): “...the Funkenstein test... it’s just pure hooey.”
• Sidney Brownstone (39:15): “...cost savings and we need to deal with these problems to society and keep them out of sight...”

Conclusion

"Nostalgia" serves as a profound exploration of the historical intricacies of mental healthcare in America, highlighting personal stories intertwined with institutional policies and medical practices. Through the emotional journey of Carrie Davidson, firsthand accounts from former staff and patients, and investigative reporting, the episode underscores the enduring impact of past mental health practices on present systems. It calls for a reflective and informed approach to modern psychiatric care, ensuring that the lessons from Northern State Hospital inform more compassionate and effective treatments for those in need.

Production Credits:

• Reported, Written, and Produced by: Sidney Brownstone, Esme Jimenez, Will James
• Editor: Liz Jones
• Additional Editing: Diana Samuels, Jonathan Martin, Brendan Sweeney, Marshall Eisen
• Project Development: Laura Grenius
• Videography: Lauren Frone
• Photography: Karen Ducey
• Music: BC Campbell
• Mixing and Sound Design: Jason Burroughs
• Logo and Branding: Alicia Villa and Michaela Giannatti Boyle

Special Thanks to: Carrie Davidson, Joanne McInnis, Merlin Rainwater

Support: Lost Patients is a joint production of KUOW and the Seattle Times.