Originally named New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum, has a long history of helping mentally ill patients, and harming them.
Opened in 1848 and welcomed 86 patients. The first superintendent, Horace Buttolph, was a good man, and provided an excellent care for the people in this care.
Then dr. Henry Cotton took over and the horror began. He began his tenue in 1907, Cotton thought infections caused mental illness.
To test his theories he removed his patients teeths, limbs or any body parts with the slightest sign of infection.
He continued this practice until 1924, when Cotton was put to a review by a peer board. A well respected psychiatrist, Phyllis Greenacre, provides critical reviews and questioned Cotton's work.
In 1925, the New Jersey State Senate held an investigation and found the doctor provided cutting edge treatment and approved his work. He continued killing patients until 1930, when he retired. The hospital staff continued to remove teeth, limbs and organs through the 1950s.
After his death in 1933 a review found his medical procedures killed 45 o/0 ofhis patients.
When the hospital discontinued his gruesome methods, many wings were abandoned and left to fall into disrepair. Still a fully operational psychiatric hospital and a correctional facility remain on the grounds. Currently, the facility is facing its fair share of controversy.
An analysis of State hospital data (by the express-times) from the 2005 through 2010 shows Trenton recorded the highest rates of violence and patient restraint compared to New Jersey's other state psychiatric hospitals.
Department of human resources shows that 112(71 o/*) of the incidents occured in the Trenton State Hospital