Boston State Hospital for the Insane

Webmasters note : In 1867; seven years before his conception of the historic Danvers State Hospital - architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee attempted to construct the Boston State Hospital for the Insane. His plans for the hospital were ultimately dismissed, they can now be seen below.

Boston State Hospital for the Insane, basement plan

To the Board of Directors of Public Institutions of the City of Boston:

Gentlemen: I herewith submit my plans for the proposed Hospital at Winthrop, in which are incorporated all the improvements of the modern Hospitals, besides many new ones which have been suggested by Dr. Walker, and the several superintendents who have examined the same. I also submit a full description of the proposed building, together with the estimates, which were made with the greatest of care; and I believe that they can be relied upon in every particular. These are based upon the present market prices, and all the items are given in detail. As will be seen, the total cost amounts to four hundred and ninety-eight thousand five hundred and three dollars, which includes twenty-two thousand, six hundred dollars, added to cover any contingencies or extras.

Respectfully submitted,

NATHANIEL J. BRADLEE

Location

The land purchased for the new Hospital is situated in the town of Winthrop, about five miles from City Hall. It consists of one hundred and twenty acres of upland, and sixty of marsh, and is one of the most delightful locations that could have been selected for the purpose. The site for the proposed building will be at an elevation of eighty feet above tide marsh level, overlooking the Massachusetts Bay, the City of Boston, and surrounding country, with the land gradually sloping in every direction, insuring good drainage.

Construction of the Building

The exterior walls will be constructed of brick, with granite trimmings surmounted by a brick cornice and French Roof.

The grouping of several wings, falling back as they do from the centre and from each other, with their several projections at bays, will give a very pleasing effect to the whole.

Boston State Hospital for the Insane, partial 1st floor plan

Basement

This story, which will be from four to six feet above the level of the ground, will contain five hundred and four hot air chambers, each being two feet by five feet, for the pipes to heat the building. The basement of the rear centre building will contain store rooms and vegetable cellars

Principle Story

The general plan of the building consists of a centre building, three stories high, 60 feet by 92 feet, a building in the rear of the centre, two stories high, 49 feet by 156 feet, and two wings of three sections each, two being three stories high. The first section on each side is 56 feet by 154 feet; the second section, 56 feet by 145 feet 9 inches; the third section, two stories high, 57 feet by 121 feet 9 inches; one being at each side of, and at an angle of 45 degrees to the second section. This gives eight distinct wards for each sex, the minimum required (by unanimous vote of the Association of Medical superintendents of American institutions for the insane) in a Hospital for two hundred patients; this designed for three hundred.

The principle story of the centre building, contains Superintendent's room, 20 feet square; private room, 17 feet by 20 feet; assistants superintendent's room, 17 feet by 20 feet; apothecary's room, 12 feet by 17 feet; library, 12 feet by 17 feet; dining room, 20 feet by 40 feet; pantry, 17 feet by 20 feet; and six large closets.

The rear centre building will contain, - reception rooms 12 feet by 18 feet, attendants' dining room, 18 feet by 40 feet, store room 18 feet by 26 feet, kitchen 20 feet by 42 feet, laundry 20 feet by 40 feet, ironing room 22 feet square, pantry 6 feet by 15 feet, bakery 14 feet square, bread closet 7 feet by 23 feet, tin closet 6 feet by 15 feet, oven 10 feet by 12 feet, drying room 10 feet by 18 feet.

The first section on each side of the centre will contain 15 single rooms, 8 feet by 6 inches by 14 feet, sitting room 22 feet by 30 feet, bay window 18 feet by 20 feet, reception room 13 feet by 21 feet, attendants' room 13 feet by 21 feet, bath room 9 feet by 14 feet, store room 9 feet by 14 feet, dormitory 17 feet by 27 feet, dining room 16 feet by 34 feet.

The second section on each side will contain 16 single rooms; general store room 20 feet by 23 feet; the other rooms are the same as described for the first section.

The third section will contain 12 single rooms 8 feet 6 inches by 14 feet, open corridor 28 feet by 62 feet, dining room 17 feet by 20 feet, store room 10 feet by 17 feet, attendants' room 14 feet by 17 feet, bath room 10 feet by 17 feet.

Second Story

The second and third stories of the first and second sections, are divided the same as the first story of said building, and the second story of the third section is also like the first story of the same. The attics of the first and second sections will furnish pleasant and desirable infirmaries. The attics of the third section will afford ample and convenient room for the isolation of small pox and other contagious diseases.

The second and third stories of the centre building are arranged to accommodate the Superintendent and his family, with his assistants.

The second story of the rear centre building contains a chapel 45 feet by 75 feet; domestics' room 14 feet by 20 feet; billiard room, 18 feet by 45 feet; store room 12 feet by 20 feet. The main centre building and the first section on each side, also rear centre buildings, are connected by corridors 10 feet wide.

The Engine House

Is located 103 feet distant from the rear centre building, and is 47 feet by 74 feet, containing a boiler room 13 feet by 57 feet; engine room 14 feet by 23 feet; fan blower room, 32 feet by 14 feet, fuel rooms, 14 feet by 23 feet; and 14 feet by 34 feet; connected with this house is a large chimney 15 feet square at base, by 180 feet in height.

Boston State Hospital for the Insane, proposed plan 1867

Construction

The outside cellar walls are to be two feet thick in stone, laid in cement mortar; the walls are of brick 20 inches thick, laid hollow; the outer walls being 12 inches, an air space of 4 inches, and the inner wall 4 inches thick. The interior walls on the side corridors, will be also 20 inches thick, so as to leave room for ventilating and heating flues to pass through them. To render the building as nearly fire-proof as possible, without going to the expense of brick arches and iron beams or girders, all the plastering will be done directly on the brick walls without furring; the floors will be plastered between the floorboards and the base or plinth around the rooms and corridors, will be of face brick, painted; all the inside partitions will also be of brick.

To give some idea of the size of the building, it may be stated that it will require 1775 perches of stone for the foundations. 7,750,250 bricks will be used in the walls; 62,829 yards of plastering; 3,224 feet of gutters, with 2,022 feet of conductors; 18,250 feet of gas pipe; 1,289,488 feet of lumber; 1,238 windows; 59,424 lights of glass, and 989 doors; 504 being required for the pipe chambers in the basement.

Heating and Ventilation

The building will be arranged so as to hereafter decide upon the best method of heating, whether by hot water, high or low pressure steam, all of which systems have their strenuous advocates. The ventilation of all the water-closets will be effected by the downward draft to the heated chimney; the ventilation of the wards will be likewise arranged for the downward draft; there will also be provided in the boiler house, a fan blower upon the Dr. Nichols plan, to be used as occasion may require.

The high chimney will be so constructed as to form a large ventilation flue, entirely around the boiler flue, to assure a steady draft. The underground air flues will be 8 feet in diameter, diminishing in size as they approach the third section, with smaller branches to each of the several hot air chambers in the basement story.

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