Where does the term "basket case" come from?

Answer 1

It first came about right after WWI and was meant for soldiers who had lost their arms and legs, and had to be carried in a basket.
(hence the meaning "An infirm or failing person or thing - unable to properly function.)
"Originally this referred to soldiers who had lost arms and legs and had to be carried by others. More recently it has been used to denounce any failing organisation or scheme and is rarely applied to people."

Answer 2

Good question! Imagine that you have been sent to a mental institution. Most places like this have times of day where the patients can take therapeutic classes such as crafts. During such class sessions, you might learn how to make your own basket out of reeds & twigs--hence the term basket case!

Answer 3

In popular usage basket case refers to someone in a hopeless mental condition, but in origin it had a physical meaning. In the grim slang of the British army during World War I, it referred to a quadruple amputee. This is one of several expressions that first became popular in World War I, or that entered American army slang from British English at that time. Some of these words reflect technical inventions and innovations of the time, such as parachute, blimp, tank, and bomber, and still have clear military associations. Others have lost most or all of their military connotations, such as ace, chow, slacker, and dud.

Answer 4

People that were committed to insane asylums often had "craft day" and they would take straw and weave baskets.