. The institutional care of the insane in the United States and Canada . ms were consequently never occupied. Dr. Choate in his first report also advocates the disuse of allmechanical restraint in most cases and states that only two formsof mechanical restraint were used, the belt and wristers for menand the camisole for women, and these only in a very limitednumber of cases. He also advocated in the strongest manner the employment ofpatients as a means of treatment, and although he considered farmwork the best for men, in view of the long winters during whichthere was practically no farm work
. The institutional care of the insane in the United States and Canada . ms were consequently never occupied. Dr. Choate in his first report also advocates the disuse of allmechanical restraint in most cases and states that only two formsof mechanical restraint were used, the belt and wristers for menand the camisole for women, and these only in a very limitednumber of cases. He also advocated in the strongest manner the employment ofpatients as a means of treatment, and although he considered farmwork the best for men, in view of the long winters during whichthere was practically no farm work, he recommended the erectionof workshops for both sexes. The money for workshops was notforthcoming and Dr. Choate had to seek elsewhere for means ofemployment; fortunately they were at hand. In the variousdomestic departments there were ample means of employment forwomen, while the farm and grounds afforded plenty of the bestemployment for men. The hospital buildings were situated upon a low, barren, sandyhill, surrounded by an exhausted farm of 140 acres, with con-. TAUNTON STATE HOSPITAL 659 siderable swamp and brush land, the whole plentifully sprinkledwith boulders. Dr. Choate employed his patients in removing thestones, with which a substantial wall was built surrounding theentire property, draining the swampy portions, and graduallyrestoring the exhausted soil. The results of Dr. Choates policyare still felt and the works of his patients remain lasting memo-rials to the wisdom that directed them. The hospital was built for 250 patients, but it was soon over-crowded and in i860 had between 300 and 400 patients. , however, did not believe it practicable to enlarge thehospital and that work was left for his successors. After a long and successful administration Dr. Choate resignedin December, 1869, feeling the necessity of change and relieffrom the trying and harassing cares of my position here and thegrowing importance of removing my family from the influencesins
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