The Origin and Growth of the Day Hospital

Abstract

The purpose in writing this paper is two-fold: 1) To clarify the origin of the Day Hospital and further to consider those factors which brought it into existence. It is these factors with which we must reckon when we move on to the devising of still newer forms of setting; 2) To direct attention to the most exciting part of the idea of the Day Hospital. This is its opening of the door to a new dimension. This dimension is the setting. The setting constitutes a field force. Within this field force and affected by it, the diagnostic and therapeutic exchanges taking place between the staff and the patient go forward, and in doing so are moulded by this field force of which they are constituent parts.