AUBURN - In the early 20th century little was known about the psychiatric side of the medical field. In fact, something as small as an outburst of rage in a public place, or a bout of depression could land a person in a mental institution for many years.

Many of the more than 50,000 patients that called the Willard Psychiatric Center home in its 126 years of operation were admitted to the asylum for just that.

“Willard has always held a deep impact in our community,” said Carrie Barrett, Curator for the Cayuga Museum during the opening reception of “The Lives They left behind: Suitcases From a State Hospital Attic” held at the museum Saturday afternoon. “The stories of these patients were lost until their suitcases had been found.”

The suitcases were found aged and forgotten in an abandoned attic of the Willard Psychiatric Center after its closing in 1995. They hold the life stories behind hundreds of the hospitals former patients.

The Willard Asylum opened its doors in 1869 and held many patients through the years that could have been better served through a bit of sympathy and understanding. Yet these patients were put away, often for the remainder of their lives.

The exhibit tells the story of 10 patients who called the hospital home for many decades.

Ethel, a woman from Ithaca, who found herself committed to the hospital upon the recommendation of her landlady, spent 43 years in the institution because she refused to leave her home, but rather wanted to lay in bed because she was ill.

Ethel is just one of the many patients whose lives are told through the exhibit.

“You just can't imagine the inhumane treatment,” said George Ebert, a former patient at the hospital. “I never had a thought of suicide or depression until after my stay there. I was a happy person. It was torture. A true crime against humanity.”

Ebert said that he spent approximately six weeks at the hospital in the 1970s due to personal life experiences. His attendance of the exhibition was a personal one.

Also at the reception were former employees of the hospital.

Marie Schmidt, who was a nurse from 1972 until its closing in 1995; Shirley Sheldon, who was a nursing student from 1959 to 1962 and worked at the hospital from 1963 to 1995; and Maureen Augustin who worked at the hospital from 1958 to 1995.

“There are a lot of memories both good and bad,” Sheldon said.

The former nurses said that since the hospital's closing the staff continues to hold an annual reunion.

In addition to the Cayuga Museum, the exhibit is co-sponsored by Options for Independence and The Peer Networking Group of CNY.

The exhibit will be at the museum until April 20.