Cotton white and blue striped fabric covered protective patient padded mitt finger restraint enclosing the whole hand; mitt has been machine sewn and is oval in shape, tapering at the wrist; on the cuff there are four holes, two on each side through which a string is threaded to cinch the mitts shu…
Cotton white and blue striped fabric covered protective patient padded mitt finger restraint enclosing the whole hand; mitt has been machine sewn and is oval in shape, tapering at the wrist; on the cuff there are four holes, two on each side through which a string is threaded to cinch the mitts shut; the string is sewn onto the inside of the cuff with white thread; inside the hand is laid over a heavily stuffed inner support for the hand to grasp during confinement.
On exhibit “Custodial to Curative Care: Rockwood and the Evolution of Mental Health Treatment” at Museum of Health Care, 30 June 2023.
Dimension Notes
Length 22.4 cm x Width 12.0 cm x Depth 7.8 cm
Condition Remarks
The ends of the string are fraying; exhibits significant yellowing of the material and the stitching is fraying on all of the holes on the cuff.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Internet
Reference Comments
"Nova Scotia Hospital article Wikipedia" website; Museum London virtual exhibit on the London Asylum in London, Ontario
Research Facts
The Nova Scotia Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and is currently the province's largest mental health facility. The hospital was co-founded by the Hon. Hugh Bell and Dorothy Dix and opened its doors in 1858 as the Mount Hope Asylum for the Insane; today it is a fully accredited teaching facility affiliated with Dalhousie University.
Protective patient finger control mitt restraints such as these are considered humane restraints and were used to protect patients and staff from scratching, injury and removal of medical devices such as intravenous needles. Also known in the mental health institutions as a 'posey limb restraint'' after the manufacturer of these restraints, the J. T. Posey Company.