The Horror of Bloomingdale Asylum American Asylums
Summary
This episode chronicles the history of New York’s Bloomingdale Asylum, tracing its evolution from a progressive 1821 moral treatment facility to a site of scandal and abuse. It details how the institution became a dumping ground for wealthy families seeking to dispose of inconvenient relatives, leading to wrongful confinements and neglect. The narrative highlights the 1872 undercover investigation by journalist Julius Chambers, whose exposé of brutal conditions and corruption sparked public outrage and prompted necessary reforms. Finally, the video covers the asylum’s 1894 closure and reloc…
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