Research

• Full Finding Aid
• Arrangement
• Scope and Contents
• Related Material
• Other Finding Aids
• Access Restrictions
• Acquisition Information
• Custodial History

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New York State Department of Mental Hygiene Breezehurst Terrace Patient Registers

Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources

Overview of the Records

Arrangement

Chronological.

Scope and Content Note

Casebooks in this accretion were created by Breezehurst Terrace, and as the institution was also known, Dr. Harrison's Sanitarium Co., located in Long Island City. The Laws of 1896, Ch. 545 (the "Insanity Law"), Article 47, authorized private houses and licensed institutions in New York to receive and retain the certified insane. Breezehurst Terrace was opened under the auspices of Dr. D. A. Harrison in 1890 and remained in operation until 1931, at which time its records, under the direction of the Dept. of Mental Hygiene, were sent to Kings Park State Hospital.

Casebooks document patients admitted between 1855-1930. Information generally includes date of admission, admitting doctor, person accompanying patient, judge responsible for commitment, name of doctor and witnesses on the certificate of commission, age, civil condition, number of children, nativity, nativity of parents, occupation, religion, education, insane relations and inheritance, present physical condition, pulse, tongue, temperature, eyes, pupils, bowels, appetite, speech, weight, gait, heart, lungs, skin, number of admissions to hospital, number of attacks, age at first attack, duration of present attack, accompanying diseases, alleged causes, diagnoses, date of discharge, and a lengthy narrative history. Volumes 5 and 6 duplicate information contained in volumes 1 and 2.

Related Material

Series 14231, Patient Case Files, provides a fuller description of case files and case books for all state psychiatric centers.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Volume list is available at the repository.

Acquisition Information

These records were transferred from Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in 1999 and accessioned by the State Archives in May 2001.

Custodial History

This series consists of patient case books created by licensed private asylums and county facilities whose administration, after closure, was transferred to the King's Park State Hospital, Kings Park Psychiatric Center (as the institution became known in 1975), and, after the closure of Kings Park Psychiatric Center in 1996, Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.

Access Restrictions

Restricted permanently in accordance with Section 33.13, Mental Hygiene Law, relating to confidentiality of clinical records and the Personal Privacy Protection Law. Access permitted under certain conditions upon approval by the Office of Mental Health.