Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: 1 Cottage, 1906. 1906

Curator: This is "Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: 1 Cottage," a photograph from 1906 by Woodhead Studio. Editor: It’s bleak. The imposing brick building looks more like a prison than a place of healing. Curator: These institutions, even the architecture, reflected contemporary ideas about managing those deemed "unfit." Brick was cheap and durable, labor readily available. Editor: So, the materials themselves speak to a societal attitude towards those housed there—efficiency over care. Makes me wonder about the quality of life within those walls. Curator: Exactly. Photography like this was often commissioned to document these projects, shaping public perception and justifying state investment. Editor: It's a stark reminder of how social biases can become embedded in the very fabric of our built environment. Curator: Indeed, understanding the context gives this image its chilling power.