Chapters in the History of the Insane in the British Isles

Chapters in the History of the Insane in the British Isles
Author: Daniel Hack Tuke
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021-04-25
Genre: History
ISBN:

Daniel Hack Tuke's 'Chapters in the History of the Insane in the British Isles' is a groundbreaking work that delves into the historical treatment of mental illness in Great Britain. Tuke's meticulous research and in-depth analysis highlight the evolution of attitudes towards the insane, providing a comprehensive look at asylums, medical practices, and societal perceptions. The book is written in a clear and accessible style, making it valuable not only to scholars of history and psychology but also to general readers interested in the intersection of medicine and society. Tuke's use of primary sources and firsthand accounts adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, creating a compelling and enlightening read. 'Chapters in the History of the Insane in the British Isles' is a significant contribution to the study of mental health history and offers valuable insights into the changing landscape of psychiatric care.

From Idiocy to Mental Deficiency

From Idiocy to Mental Deficiency
Author: Anne Digby
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2002-09-09
Genre: History
ISBN: 1134831994

From Idiocy to Mental Deficiency is the first book devoted to the social history of people with learning disabilities in Britain. Approaches to learning disabilities have changed dramatically in recent years. The implementation of 'Care in the Community', the campaign for disabled rights and the debate over the education of children with special needs have combined to make this one of the most controversial areas in social policy today. The nine original research essays collected here cover the social history of learning disability from the Middle Ages through the establishment of the National Health Service. They will not only contribute to a neglected field of social and medical history but also illuminate and inform current debates. The information presented here will have a profound impact on how professionals in mental health, psychiatric nursing, social work and disabled rights understand learning disability and society's responses to it over the course of history.

Troubled by Faith

Troubled by Faith
Author: Owen Davies
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2023-09-28
Genre: Belief and doubt
ISBN: 019887300X

The nineteenth century was a time of extraordinary scientific innovation, but with the rise of psychiatry, faiths and popular beliefs were often seen as signs of a diseased mind. By exploring the beliefs of asylum patients, we see the nineteenth century in a new light, with science, faith, and the supernatural deeply entangled in a fast-changing world. The birth of psychiatry in the early nineteenth-century fundamentally changed how madness was categorised and understood. A century on, their conceptions of mental illness continue to influence our views today. Beliefs and behaviour were divided up into the pathological and the healthy. The influence of religion and the supernatural became significant measures of insanity in individuals, countries, and cultures. Psychiatrists not only thought they could transform society in the industrial age but also explain the many strange beliefs expressed in the distant past. Troubled by Faith explores these ideas about the supernatural across society through the prism of medical history. It is a story of how people continued to make sense of the world in supernatural terms, and how belief came to be a medical issue. This cannot be done without exploring the lives of those who found themselves in asylums because of their belief in ghosts, witches, angels, devils, and fairies, or because they though themselves in divine communication, or were haunted by modern technology. The beliefs expressed by asylum patients were not just an expression of their individual mental health, but also provide a unique reflection of society at the time - a world still steeped in the ideas and imagery of folklore and faith in a fast-changing world.

The Story of Nursing in British Mental Hospitals

The Story of Nursing in British Mental Hospitals
Author: Niall McCrae
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 398
Release: 2016-02-22
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1317812387

From their beginnings as the asylum attendants of the 19th century, mental health nurses have come a long way. This comprehensive volume is the first book in over twenty years to explore the history of mental health nursing, and during this period the landscape has transformed as the large institutions have been replaced by services in the community. McCrae and Nolan examine how the role of mental health nursing has evolved in a social and professional context, brought to life by an abundance of anecdotal accounts. Moving from the early nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century, the book’s nine chronologically-ordered chapters follow the development from untrained attendants in the pauper lunatic asylums to the professionally-qualified nurses of the twentieth century, and, finally, consider the rundown and closure of the mental hospitals from nurses’ perspectives. Throughout, the argument is made that whilst the training, organisation and environment of mental health nursing has changed, the aim has remained essentially the same: to develop a therapeutic relationship with people in distress. McCrae and Nolan look forward as well as back, and highlight significant messages for the future of mental health care. For mental health nursing to be meaningfully directed, we must first understand the place from which this field has developed. This scholarly but accessible book is aimed at anyone with an interest in mental health or social history, and will also act as a useful resource for policy-makers, managers and mental health workers.

Madness in Medieval Law and Custom

Madness in Medieval Law and Custom
Author: Wendy Turner
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2010-09-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 9004187499

This essay collection examines aspects of mental impairment from a variety of angles to unearth medieval perspectives on mental affliction. This volume on madness in the Middle Ages elucidates how medieval society conceptualized mental afflictions, especially in law and culture.