Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Interior of laundry, 1907. 1907

Editor: This 1907 photograph by Woodhead Studio, titled "Defectives, Epileptics," depicts the interior of a laundry at the Palmer State Hospital. It's stark. What does this image tell us about the lives of the patients? Curator: The photograph, with its clinical approach, reveals the institutional practices of the time, presenting the labor of those deemed "defective." Consider how the hospital setting, a microcosm of society, reflects broader social attitudes towards disability and labor. Editor: It's troubling how casually people were categorized. So, the act of photographing becomes part of the categorization? Curator: Precisely. Photography here isn’t just documentation, it's participating in the act of social control and reinforcing power structures. Think about who commissioned the photograph and its intended audience. What message were they trying to convey? Editor: That's a chilling thought, but it completely changes how I see the image. Thanks!