Background

Hanging in the Glore Psychiatric Museum in Saint Joseph,  Missouri, is an embroidery piece, handcrafted on a hospital dish towel,  a witness to the daily life of anAfrican-American woman.  Estimated to be in her fifties, she was hospitalized  at St. Joseph State Hospital in the 1960s for schizophrenia.  While this is only one of many embroidery pieces she completed, this is the only piece that could be recovered.  Her words have been described as psychotic and as crazy thinking.  The researchers, however, find it inspiring and insightful.

Most of the information pertaining to the patient came from Mr. George Glore, an occupational therapist that worked at St. Joseph State Hospital and founder of the Glore Psychiatric Museum, where this embroidery piece is currently located.  Also, information was gathered from a psychologist that worked with the patient (while he was still an aide) at the hospital.

What is known

• Late Middle-Aged; “fifties”
• Female
• African American
• Hospitalized for over 30 years
• Embroidery work came from the 1960s
• She usually embroidered in the sewing room, which was used for a form of “industrial therapy” (what we would likely now call occupational therapy)
• Embroidery work came from a derivative of Henry Stack Sullivan’s ideas; they believed in a day-to-day relationship with patients
• Diagnosed schizophrenic by Dr. O’Brien
• It has been speculated that she could also have been affected by syphilis, and schizophrenia might not have been the correct diagnosis
• “Mumbled and grumbled” but never talked unless her routine was disrupted
• Has no visitors
• According to psychologist that knew her, when her routine was changed (especially when new people were on the ward), she could be found “kicking and screaming,” and he noted she was “very strong for her age
• Given the derogatory name of “The Tatterer”
• Assisted with ward duties when not agitated
• The psychologist that knew her described her when she was upset as the “antithesis” of what is contained in the embroidery
• Used left over pieces of thread given to her by hospital employees
• Stuffed trash into her pockets
• Checked the vending machines for change
• Eventually was moved from the state hospital to a nursing home for placement into the community setting and died while waiting for placement