Psychiatric Hospital

Patients in the psychiatric unit at Wilson Hospital, Johnson City, N.Y., are forbidden to watch “The PTL Club” television program because of what hospital officials describe as a “disturbing effect” on some patients. Dr. Q. D. Schubmehl, chairman of the psychiatric department, told a reporter for the Binghamton (N. Y.) Press that “many of our patients do have serious problems, and we found that (the PTL show) was exaggerating pre-existing symptoms.” According to Dr. Schubmehl, the program promotes the idea that “if you had faith, you wouldn’t be sick.” He said that “the suggested interpretation by patients is one of anti-physician and anti-medical. Maybe, it’s not anti-physician or anti-medical, but it at least puts things in a way that you can get better through faith alone.”

Eternity, May, 1979, p. 12