My special guest tonight is author William Bechheit, who's here to discuss South Carolina's Lunatic Asylum, founded in 1821. Nearly two decades after it closed, the South Carolina State Hospital holds a palpable mystique in Columbia and throughout the state. Founded in 1821 as the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum, it housed, fed, and treated thousands of patients incapable of surviving independently. The patient population in 1961 eclipsed 6,600, well above its listed capacity of 4,823, despite an operating budget that ranked 45th out of the 48 states with such large public hospitals. By the mid-1990s, the patient population had fallen under 700, and the hospital had become a symbol of captivity, horror, and chaos. Author William Buchheit details this history through the words and interviews of those who worked on the iconic campus.Do you frequently miss episodes of Mysterious Radio? Don't worry; here are some tips to ensure you never miss out again:1. If you haven't already, follow or subscribe to the show to receive updates on new episodes. Even if you have already done this, it's a good idea to click the option again to ensure that you are still subscribed. This is especially important!2. Turn on notifications for new episodes in your podcast app.3. Make sure that your device allows notifications from your podcast app.4. If your app has the option, swipe down to refresh the list of episodes. Do you frequently miss episodes of Mysterious Radio? Don't worry; here are some tips to ensure you never miss out again:1. If you haven't already, follow or subscribe to the show to receive updates on new episodes. Even if you have already done this, it's a good idea to click the option again to ensure that you are still subscribed. This is especially important!2. Turn on notifications for new episodes in your podcast app.3. Make sure that your device allows notifications from your podcast app.4. If your app has the option, swipe down to refresh the list of episodes.
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