A review by jeffphilly
The Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry: A History of Misery and Medicine by J. P. Webster

5.0

A phenomenal read! This is a tale starting from early on in the city. After that the author goes into the city's need and desire to expand its capacity to serve the mentally ill population in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In his telling of this tale the author goes into great detail describing the corruption of the city and mistreatment of the hospital patients. Throughout the book the author thoroughly describes the evolution of the hospital before its eventual demise and closure. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Philadelphia history.