Research

• Full Finding Aid
• Overview
• Arrangement
• Administrative History
• Scope and Contents
• Other Finding Aids
• Access Restrictions
• Acquisition Information
• Processing Information
• Access Terms

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New York State Department of Mental Hygiene Brooklyn State Hospital Patient Records

Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology.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

Overview of the Records

Arrangement

Unarranged.

Administrative History

Kings County Asylum became the Long Island State Hospital and was transferred to the state by the county on July 1, 1895. In 1900, the St. Johnland branch was given separate management and became Long Island State Hospital at Kings Park; the main part of the institution became Long Island State Hospital at Flatbush (Laws of 1900, Chapter 634). In 1916, Long Island State Hospital at Kings Park was renamed Kings Park State Hospital.

Scope and Content Note

This accretion contains patient records from Kings County Asylum (later known as Long Island State Hospital, and then as the Brooklyn State Hospital), consisting primarily of medical case files and admission and discharge records. The records vary in content over time. The admission dates range from 1843 to 1929.

Contents of case files typically include name of patient; date of admission; residence; country of origin; gender; marital status; age; occupation; religion; height and weight; history and description of mental disturbance; diagnosis; and a narrative record of the patient's treatment, actions, physical health, mental conditon, and prognosis.

Some of the following information is also occasionally included: doctor's certifying condition; judge making the commitment; number of children, number living, age of youngest; country of origin of patient's mother and father; length of time in the country; names of mother and father; insane relations; previous confinements; and detailed descriptions of medical examination. A very few photographs of patients are included.

Admission and discharge books always include name of patient and dates of admission and/or release. Other data may include country of origin; county of residence; next of kin; number of patients admitted; financial information; condition; reference to location of patient's case history; to whom the patient was released; and other remarks.

The accretion also includes census statistics for female patients (1910-1925); letters certifying patients' conditions (1896-1899); autopsy reports (1895-1898); and one volume listing books purchased, showing publishers and prices (scattered 1897-1927).

Box 31 contains a volume for male patients of the Kings County Insane Asylum (labelled Volume "D") from approximately 1855 to 1896, with the bulk of the entries dating between 1887 and 1896. The type of information contained in the volume is nearly identical to that contained in Volumes 1 through 7 of accretion 14231-01A.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Case file books usually contain an alphabetical name index.

Container list showing log or volume number, type of record, and first/last admission dates.

Acquisition Information

These records were transferred from Kingsboro Psychiatric Center on December 15, 1997.

Processing Information

In August 2015, a volume for male patients of the Kings County Insane Asylum, which was formerly part of accretion 14231-01A, was integrated into this accretion and placed in Box 31.

Access Restrictions

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

Selected items are not available for use due to their condition: mold is present.

Access Terms