Ice Water Baths: Freezing the Madness
Freezing Patients
One of the most chilling treatments in 20th-century asylums was the ice water bath. Patients were submerged in freezing water for extended periods, sometimes to shock their systems into calmness. This method was believed to reduce agitation and aggressive behaviors, but it often left patients shivering, terrified, and on the brink of hypothermia.
A Case of Cruelty
At a notorious asylum in France, one patient, known only as Marie, was subjected to daily ice water baths as a “treatment” for her anxiety. The prolonged exposure to cold left her physically weakened and mentally scarred. Her screams and pleas for warmth were ignored, and the therapy continued until she could no longer endure the torture, ultimately leading to her death from exposure.
