Disability%20in%20History

1
Disability in History

• Sherrie Brown
• LSJ/CHID 434
• Winter 2007

2
Topics

• Early Historical Interpretation of
  Physical/Mental Differences
• Experience of Disabled Persons in Nazi Germany
• Rise of Institutions in USA

3
One Approach

• How does history describe/explain/handle
  variations of the human condition?
• How are differences distinguishedi.e., what
  difference rises to level of disability or
  otherwise be considered negatively?
• How is the difference explained?
• What value is placed on that difference?
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Framework described by University of Maine
  disability studies scholars on line at
  http//www.ccids.umaine.edu/hrsaltc/history

4
Ancient Greece

• Distinguish
• Deformed infant
• Blind, Deaf, Lame
• Blind, Deaf, Lame
• Mental Illness
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Not human
• Immoral
• Well respected
• Well respected

• Explain the Difference?
• None
• Caused by gods for sinful acts
• War injury
• Supernatural
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Left to die
• Ostracized
• Given special care and pension
• Participated in community life

5
Medieval Period

• Distinguish
• Behaved, comm. differently
• Atypical appearance/activity
• Cognitively different (MR)
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Evil or demonic
• Evil or demonic
• Divine

• Explain the Difference?
• Spiritual
• Sent to teach charity/tolerance
• Spiritual
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Persecuted
• Cared for by clergy
• Participated in community

6
Enlightenment

• Distinguish
• Failure to thrive at birth
• Atypical activity/appearance
• Atypical behavior (MI)
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Not Human
• Part of human nature
• Unworthy

• Explain the Difference?
• None
• Injury, aging or illness
• Biological
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• No care
• No explanations for most but medical explanations
  for those who could afford MD
• Institution

7
Victorian Period (idea of normal)

• Distinguish
• Atypical behavior (cognitively impaired, MI or
  socially deviant)
• Deviant
• Inability to earn
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Unworthy
• Unworthy
• Reprehensible

• Explain the Difference?
• Poor or immoral
• Race, ethnicity, gender
• Immoral
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Harsh institutional care
• Ostracized, institutionalized
• Ostracized, institutionalized

8
Early 20th Century

• Distinguish
• Physically/cognitively different
• Physically/cognitively different
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Less than human
• Well respected

• Explain the Difference?
• Bad genes
• War injuries/industrial accidents
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Harsh institutional care/eugenics
• Financial/medical supportrehabilitation

9
Nazi Germany

• Distinguish
• Physically/cognitively different
• Physically/cognitively different
• What value is placed on that difference?
• Less than human
• Well respected

• Explain the Difference?
• Bad genes
• War injuries/industrial accidents
• How is that difference treated/handled?
• Genocide/medical experimentation
• Financial/medical supportrehabilitation

10
Rise of Institutions in USA

• First institution devoted exclusively to mental
  disabilities established in 1773.
• Mental disorders considered problem of
  containment, not treatment.
• Decades before Civil War characterized by belief
  that institutions could cure lunatics and train
  idiots.
• States assume responsibilities for asylums and
  enacted civil commitment laws to authorize
  institutionalization.

11
Asylums become Institutions

• No cure found for most individuals and asylums
  full of people labeled incurable.
• They became more custodialgoal was to 1) keep
  society safe from unpredictable violence and 2)
  quarantine people who could spread the madness.
• Dumping grounds for social undesirablesmany
  prostitutes, immigrants, poor, incorrigible
  wives, etc.
• Institutionalization and forced sterilization
  became the policy after Buck v. Bell Supreme
  Court decision in 1927.

12
Willowbrook State School

• State supported institution for children with
  mental retardation on Staten Island, NYC.
• Plans developed in 1938, construction completed
  in 1942 but run as army hospital until 1947.
• In mid 1970s, home to 5,000 individuals.
• 1972 documentary expose by Geraldo Rivera on ABC
  TV, NY affiliate.

13
NY State Association for Retarded Children v.
Carey (consent decree 1975)

• People with mental retardation have a
  constitutional right to protection from harm.
• Willowbrook forbidden from implementing
  seclusion, corporal punishment, medical
  experimentation and routine use of restraints.
• Settlement mandates individual plans for
  education, therapy, care and development of each
  child.
• Established a Consumer Advisory Committee of
  parents, community leaders, residents (current
  and former) to monitor.

14
Discussion

• How are Coastal Center and Willowbrook different?
  How are they similar?
• The nondisabled world sees powerlessness as the
  natural product of dependence and dependence as
  the natural product of our needs.
• What is the governments responsibilityif
  anyfor individuals like Harriet McBryde Johnson
  or Bernard Carabello?