In a message dated 7/5/05 7:04:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I have a copy for my great great grandma to be transported by train from the Illinios Southern Hospital for the Insain. Is this the Anna Hospital? It says city of Anna County of Union. She was there in 1902. I was told she dyed from infected milk. Thanks For your Time Yes, this would be the Anna Hospital. Please be aware that the Anna Hospital was NOT just an "insane asylum" and that not everyone there was "insane." For instance, my entire Baumhueter family moved to Anna when my Uncle Georgie was declared "insane" so they could be near him in the hospital. My Uncle Bernard worked at the hospital to insure his safekeeping. Fortunately, Georgie was determined to be insane by the court in Clinton County Illlinois, which kept extremely good records at the time. From his death certificate I know he died of complications from pernicious anemia ... a purely medical condition that is now easily controlled. But at the time of his commitment, no one had a clue about this problem, although by the time he died they'd figured out the cause, though not yet the cure. The symptoms of pernicious anemia (now a largely extinct disease) are such that one experiences delusions and behaves in a manic manner. Eventually, if not treated, the victim dies of dehydration from the mere inability to retain nutrients. Again fortunately, the very few who acquire this inheritable disease now are easily treated via a few Vitamin B shots per year. I'm quite certain other inheritable "old world" diseases were prevalent at the time. At least a few must have caused such symptoms as to have those in the "normal" world to perceive insanity as the culprit. Laura