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Englands First asylum for treating mental illnesses (1247 AD)

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Englands First asylum for treating mental illnesses (1247 AD)

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This is a painting of Bethlem Hospital in England. This hospital was founded in 1247 to be a place to treat individuals from poor economic means. As time went on though the hospital started to focus on treating individuals with mental disorders (1).

Patients in the institution often served as a spectacle for visitors. in the 1750s people gathered to come visit. And as the outside of the hospital was a beautifully crafted tourist attraction, the inside was what people paid to see. Thousands of people visited the hospital and were allowed to verbally and physically abuse the patients (2).

At the time monks were thought as of being responsible for dealing with psychological disorders as oftentimes mental illness was thought to be an evil presence entering the mind (2). Because of the stigma and lack of education on mental disorders oftentimes the patients coming in were poor and lacked social support from family or friends. These individuals were then prone to abusive medical practices that have continued to serve as a lesson on the importance of research and moral practices in modern psychiatric care.

Sources:

(1)

https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/1050-1485/from-bethlehem-to-bedlam/

(2)

https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/bethlem-royal-hospital-history-why-called-bedlam-lunatic-asylum/

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Raving Madness Statue by Caius Gabriel Cibber

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Bethlams "Raving Madness" Statue (1676 AD)

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Bethlams "Raving Madness" Statue (1676 AD)

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This statue shows a man appearing to be combative and fighting the shackles chaining him up. The creator of the work made two pieces that stood side by side at the entrance of the Bethlem Hospital from 1676 to 1815. The one above was named "Raving Madness" and its pair was called "Melancholy Madness". Both statuses are named and depict how mental illness was publicly seen at the time (1).

even though the main reason why these two statues were presented so openly at the entrance of the hospital was to entice visitors to donate to the museum, it's important to understand how the past image and beliefs of mental disorders were seen as an incurable "Madness" (2). this dangerous ideology is the reason why certain abusive practices continued for so long at multiple asylums at the time. In addition, these beliefs have only held back research in the field of neuroscience that would have allowed for more moral treatment.

Sources:

(1)

https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/raving-madness-265092

(2)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/T-CNu-EuS3mX38Ee649_cQ

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Drug jar from the 16th century storing a purgative drug

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Midevil Practice of Hiera Logadii (16th century)

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Midevil Practice of Hiera Logadii (16th century)

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This is a jar from the 16th century and originated in Montelupo Fiorentino, Italy. Jars like this at the time were prevalent in pharmacies for storing medications. specifically, this jar stored a medication called "Heira Logadii" a purgative drug (2).

The common belief at the time was that the body was controlled by 4 humors that contributed to a person's health and personality (1). So naturally when a patient had some mental disorder it was thought that one's bodily fluid needed to be rebalanced. one method of doing this was by combining certain herbs and spices, which would help the patients excrete certain bodily fluids. Heira Logadii specifically focused on increasing stole production, but other common practices included inducing vomiting and blood extraction (1).

While these practices might not have exactly helped with mental health treatment, these medications started to show a step towards experts at the time trying to find medical cures rather than relying solely on religious folk to banish spirits or madnesses in the body.

Sources:

(1)

http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1673/the-history-of-mental-illness-from-skull-drills-to-happy-pills

(2)

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O119404/drug-jar-unknown/

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Our Lady Mary of the Innocents at Valencia founding documents

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A Declaration for more progressive Care (1409 AD)

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A Declaration for more progressive Care (1409 AD)

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While at this time many hospitals that specialized in mental illnesses tended to mistreat and abuse patients, the formation of Our Lady Mary of Innocents Hospital in Valencia Spain was starting to blaze its path in 1409 (2). Like many of the Mental health hospitals at the time this hospital also had roots in religion as its founders were priests at the church. This hospital in particular though was founded as a response to the lack of help available for people suffering from mental illnesses in the city (2). In this document, it states:

" Poor innocents and the furious in this city suffer from hunger, cold and injuries…innocence and rage make them unable to obtain or ask for what is essential to stay alive, and, consequently, [they] sleep in the streets and often die of cold and hunger. Evil people look for the places where they are sleeping to mistreat and, sometimes, kill them—even innocent women…It would represent a holy work if the city of Valencia built a…hospital, where both lunatics and innocents, could stay and didn't wander, or couldn't cause or receive any harm… "(1).

This document and the hospital were a turning point in the formation of psychiatric care and the future of neuroscience because of the effort made to try and form an institution that intends to help not only the city but also ensure the people within the hospital are cared for and not mistreated while seeking treatment.

Sources

(1)

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Founding-documents-for-Hospital-of-Our-Lady-Mary-of-the-Innocents-at-Valencia-These-two_fig2_221847420

(2)

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/hospital-for-the-mentally-ill-in-the-middle-ages/3ECCC2DCBA426E7B4F8D682401E8903E

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A photograph of the York Retreat Hospital 

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Finding of a Modern Mental Asylum (1792 AD)

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Finding of a Modern Mental Asylum (1792 AD)

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Towards the end of the 18th century, Neuropsychiatric care started to see more dramatic changes that started to adopt what we would call today, moral medical practices.

This hospital in particular called "The York Retreat" was built in England in 1792. the motivation behind the opening of this psychiatric hospital was from a Quaker named William Tuke (3). He was a prominent figure in the Quaker community and was outraged to hear that another member of the Quaker community had passed away in an asylum that did not follow moral treatment or care (1). When rumors that she had passed away from neglect circled, this lit a candle behind Tuke to gather his community and build an asylum that would specialize in Neuropsychiatric care, only this time it would conduct moral practices.

later on, Tuke's son Samuel wrote in his book "The Descriptions of the Retreat" that abusive control of the patients was not acceptable and they encouraged patients themselves to take control of their lives as the staff believed that the patients were capable of being ration human being with the correct care (1). In addition, the patients were also taught how to be properly fed/nourished and were given an active lifestyle full of exercise and activities. In the photograph taken above, it shows one of the hallways from the Retreat (1). The setup of this building contrasted greatly with other psychiatric hospitals as comfortable chairs and plants are arranged to present an inviting environment. it is also noted that each patient had a room and did not live in squalor like those of the Bethlem hospital.

This hospital in particular was the motivation behind many other hospitals changing rules and/or opening with a more progressive outlook on psychiatric care (1). Because of the refreshing moral outlook, many attribute the York retreat and The Tuke family to blazing a new path for what we consider today to be appropriate care for those seeking psychiatric inpatient treatment.

Sources:

(1)

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/retreat-at-york-of-1796-psychiatry-in-pictures/7BAB515DD8A1B6AA159AB6CD3516C332

(2)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Retreat,_York._Fourth_Gallery._Wellcome_L0000646.jpg

(3)

https://museumofthemind.org.uk/projects/european-journeys/asylums/york-retreat

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The document for this topic is Fr. Joan Gilabert Jofre. above is a statue of him in Valencia Spain. He plays an integral role in the formation of modern Neuro psychiatric care because he was one of the first priests to push for a more moral base hospital in Valencia, Spain. The "Hospital of Innocence" was created as he initially brought the attention to the monarch of the city about the horrific conditions of the people suffering from mental illnesses (2).

One day while Fr. Jofre was walking to a church from his convent he witnessed individuals verbally and physically abusing a mentally ill man. Fr. Jofre quickly stepped in and protected the man, and after brought him to his church and helped him get better. (1) This situation inspired him to start promoting treatment for those mentally ill in the city as opposed to just letting them continue to be abused, robbed, and killed. Later on, the city's monarchs promoted the idea of building a hospital, and then the creation of the Hospital of Innocence finally stepped foot.

While Fr. Jofre was not a scientist or expert on mental illnesses or psychiatric care, his dedication to helping mentally ill individuals dramatically changed the way European hospitals function later on. after the opening of this hospital in 1410, a few years later another psychiatric hospital close to Valencia also opened its doors with the basis of moral treatment and respect.

Without trailblazers like him, the modern mental hospital would not be a thing, and his ability to sympathize with those who were once viewed as less than has promoted countless modern institutions now (2).

Sources:

(1)

https://aleteia.org/2022/05/30/a-catholic-priest-founded-the-worlds-first-psychiatric-hospital/

(2)

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/hospital-for-the-mentally-ill-in-the-middle-ages/3ECCC2DCBA426E7B4F8D682401E8903E

(3)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Gilabert_Jofr%C3%A9#/media/File:Imatge1.jpg

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Inside a modern psychiatric hospital in Australia

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How this History created a path for Mental health hospital's today

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How this History created a path for Mental health hospital's today

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This is a promotional video for a psychiatric hospital in Australia that was posted 6 years ago. This video's main purpose is to introduce those who have never been to this type of hospital to the type of environment either they or a family member will be attending. When viewing the video it's quite clear how similar William Tuke York Retreat is to this hospital. The types of living conditions of modern-day hospitals allow for privacy and comfortable care. The way that these types of hospitals respect patients is incredibly different from those of the Bethlem Hospital of 1247 and shows great progress from the once common "Madness" idea of a psychiatric patient. When researching modern-day Neuro psychiatric care, it's clear that most hospitals in the Western world focus more on holistic healing of both the body and mind, and encourage patients to take control of their lives while gently guiding them. The time that most individuals will stay at this type of hospital differs greatly from pre-19th century customs. Oftentimes in the past when one was checked into a hospital they were forced to stay in indefinitely without knowledge of the type of practices they would be doing inside. Now the goal of these types of hospitals is honesty, and getting patients out in a certain amount of time.

Sources:

(1)

https://youtu.be/0J56wIDcY9A?si=qJJVz2UQYiPftH-P

(2)

https://psychcentral.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-mental-hospital-patient#what-its-like