philippine studies Ateneo de Manila University • Loyola Heights, Quezon City • 1108 Philippines The Hospicio de San Jose: Institutional Care for Mental Patients Maria Luisa T. Camagay Philippine Studies vol. 36, no. 3 (1988) 365–371 Copyright © Ateneo de Manila University Philippine Studies is published by the Ateneo de Manila University. Contents may not be copied or sent via email or other means to multiple sites and posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s written permission. Users may download and print articles for individual, noncom- mercial use only. However, unless prior permission has been obtained, you may not download an entire issue of a journal, or download multiple copies of articles. Please contact the publisher for any further use of this work at
[email protected]. http://www.philippinestudies.net Fri June 27 13:30:20 2008 Philippine Studies 36 (1988):365-71 Notes and Comments The Hospicio de San Jose: Institutional Care for Mental Patients MARIA LUISA T. CAMAGAY Prior to the ninctecnth ccntury when the institutional care for mcntal patients was introduced in the Philippincs, the mentally ill were confined at home or, if violcnt, were confined in the town jail together with the lawbreakers. Thc worst that could happen to demented persons was abandonment by their families. Thc Hospital of San Juan de Dios and the Hospicio de San Jose were two institutions which provided medical care to mental patients in the ninctecnth century. Of the two, the Hospicio de San Jose tcnded to give special care to the insane. THE HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE The Hospicio de San Jose was founded in 1782 with the purpose of attending to the urgent needs of the poor and the abandoned.