Scope and Content: Massachusetts established hospitals to provide residential care and treatment for mentally ill persons. Authorized by St 1873, c 239, the construction of Danvers Lunatic Hospital (later Danvers State Hospital) was funded per St 1874, c 391, to accommodate the overflow from the Boston Lunatic Hospital (later Boston State Hospital) and the asylum at the State Almshouse at Tewksbury. Established by statute as the State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers, it was known as the Danvers Lunatic Hospital. It opened in 1878. –The first state-funded institution for the mentally ill in Massachusetts, the State Lunatic Hospital (renamed Worcester Lunatic Hospital (St 1862, c 223, s 1), now Worcester State Hospital) was established per St 1832, c 163 and opened in 1833. A new enlarged facility was authorized by St 1870, c 238. Pursuant to St 1875, c 160, the state treasurer was authorized to issue scrip or certificates of debt to meet expenses incurred during the construction of the new facility, opened in 1877. The original buildings were designated for use by the Temporary Asylum for the Chronic Insane per St 1877, c 227.
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