Experiences of sericulture in the Collegno asylum (1941-1942)

In 1941 and 1942, a sericulture experiment was conducted on the farm of the psychiatric hospital in Collegno, involving the hospitalized patients, particularly women, as a form of occupational therapy. The breeding of silkworms had been a significant economic activity for rural families, and the silk industry was crucial to the economy of Piedmont. The documentation on silkworm breeding, specifically on cocoon production, provides detailed descriptions of the activity and shows the profitable outcomes for the company thanks to the sale of cocoons during periods of autarchy. The rigorous and exhausting work, supervised by an experienced sericulture worker, was undertaken with considerable satisfaction by the patients. However, the war halted the initiative, one of the last sericulture experiences in the western Turin area. The availability of synthetic fibres on the market and the recurrent problems with parasites attacking the larvae led to the decline of this activity, not only in Piedmont but across the entire region.