Cold water treatment, or more popularly called cold water torture, was a method used to torture the insane for bad behavior. Insane asylums of the 1800 and 1900s used this method quite often, and sometimes it resulted in the death of the patient.
Tied and Drowned
The cold water treatment inside of one insane asylum was described in a newspaper article published in 1878:
“The patient is taken into the bathroom, (either male or female – it’s practical in all departments) all clothing is removed, hands tied with what they call the “straps,” then their feet are tied, generally with a towel. Then they place the patient in the bath tub sitting up. One or two are generally holding him or her from getting out of the tub. Then the cold water is turned on and let run until the tub is three-fourths full of water, then the strap around his or her ankles is brought into use by the person having hold of it. By raising the feet out of the tub, the hands being tied, the patient is helpless, so as the feet go up, the head goes down under water, where it is kept until the brute having charge of the feet thinks he or she has almost made the last kick. Then he lowers the feet and the brute at the head raises it out of water to give a breathing spell and ask him some questions, and, while doing so, he or she thinks of course that is the last of the bath, for that time at least. But they are generally mistaken, for while talking, up goes their feet and down their head for one more drowning.
“This time the brute at the feet will keep the head under water longer than the first time. At least that is generally the way. Then, when the patient is apparently dead, the brute at the feet, as in the first act, lowers the feet and the brute at the head will raise the patient up, out of the tub, untie his feet and hands, and carry him or her to their bed, and throw him or her on it to either live or die, as they choose.” [1]
Cold Water Hose
Life in an Indiana jail was no better than life inside an insane asylum back in 1920. In fact, the emotionally troubled were often thrown into jail and given the same torture and beatings as those given in the asylum:
“One witness asserted that within the last few weeks an insane man was beaten by jailers until he was so weak he could not stand, after which he was left for several days lying on the floor of his cell until finally he and the cell were cleaned by means of a hose and cold water. The insane man died two or three days after this treatment.” [2]
Chained to Floor
A 1922 article claimed that one of the cold water treatment methods used in asylums involved chaining the victim to the stone floor and pouring ice cold water over her or him for prolonged periods of time. [3]
Best Cure
Many of the doctors in charge of the insane asylums swore by the use of cold water in treating patients. In 1910:
“Dr. Evans testified that the application of cold water to insane patients had become acknowledged as the best scientific treatment for quieting the violent insane and restoring them to a lucid state.” [4]
