Padded cell
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A padded cell is a cell in a psychiatric hospital with cushions lining the walls. The padding is an attempt to prevent a patient from hurting themselves by hitting their head (or other bodily parts) on the hard surface of the walls. In most cases, persons are not placed in padded cells voluntarily.
A padded cell is sometimes colloquially known as a "rubber room".
Description
Most padded cells are the same size as a single room, about 10 feet from front to back and about 8 feet wide, and are designed for short-term, single occupant, occupancy. The walls and floor are padded, which is typically four inches in thickness. The walls are usually made of pouches of strong canvas or leather, filled with cork crumbs, which is then covered in rubberized paint. The floor is covered in leather and the door to the cell is commonly made of very strong wood or wood reinforced with steel. The door, which is also padded on the inside, may have an observation port which allows for a full, uninterrupted view of the room and its occupant by supervising medical staff. The doors are also typically secured by locks of some manner.
Use
The length of time patients were kept in a padded cell would vary greatly. Sometimes patients could remain locked in one for several days. A patient might also be made to wear a straitjacket if they were considered a risk of self-harm.
The use of padded cells and straitjackets fell dramatically following the introduction of psychotropic drugs in the 1950s and their presence/use is now rare in modern mental health care facilities in most of the industrialized world. The use of padded rooms, or isolation is still a common occurrence in mental health facilities across the United States.
A reconstructed padded cell is maintained at the Stephen Beaumont Museum, Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, UK
