This thesis does several things. It presents a brief history of epilepsy as a foundation to the story of the early development of the New Castle facility. The location of the village caused considerable competition among the counties desiring the institution; space is devoted to that competition. Attention is also given to the selection of the first superintendent Dr. Walter C. Van Nuys. The major method of treatment of epileptics in the early twentieth century was custodial. This study emphasizes the physical development of the New Castle institution in its early years to show the type of custodial care the patients received.

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2008. / Title from screen (viewed on August 28, 2009). Department of History, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): William Schneider. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-98).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / At the turn of the twentieth century, the movement to improve care of those afflicted with epilepsy reached Indiana. In 1905, the Indiana legislature passed an act creating the Indiana Village for Epileptics, thus beginning the segregation of epileptics from the rest of the state's population. Placing epileptics in colonies was considered a progressive solution to a centuries old medical ailment. This thesis will examine the Indiana Village for Epileptics from its inception until the retirement of the first superintendent, Dr. Walter C. Van Nuys. Van Nuys' tenure was so long-he stepped down in 1952-that the Village had become an outdated and unnecessary institution because of advances in medical treatments for the disease. The age of segregation had ended and epileptics were no longer seen as a menace to society.