The History of Bethlem Hospital

Now 750 years old, Bethlem Hospital has been continuously involved in the care of the mentally ill since at least 1400 - as such it has a strong claim to be the oldest foundation in Europe with an unbroken history of sheltering and treating the mentally disturbed. This text examines Bethlem's role within the caring institutions of London and Britain and its place in the history of psychiatry. Bethlem is not simply Europe's oldest psychiatric establishment; it is the most famous and the most notorious. It has assumed many guises over its 750 year history, it began as a religious foundation in the context of the Crusades. It became a hospital for the insane by accident, survived complex battles between Crown and Papacy, Parliament and the Corporation of the City of London, and gained great prominence for many years as Britain's only lunatic asylum. The name of Bethlem has actually turned into everyday speech and become part of a national culture. From Shakespeare's time, "Bedlam" was becoming detached from the institution and assuming a life and a persona.

ISBN 0415017734   DEWEY edition DC21 ISBN13 9780415017732 (What's this?)   Pages 768 Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd   Volumes 1 Imprint Routledge   Published in London Format Hardback   Height (mm) 246 Publication date 09 Oct 1997   Width (mm) 174 Non-book description xiv, 752 p. :   Spine width (mm) 1270 Library of Congress RC450.G72L   Academic level Undergraduate, Postgraduate DEWEY 362.2109421

		List of plates
		List of figures
		List of tables
		Acknowledgements
		List of abbreviations
		Introduction		1
Pt. I		1247-1633
		The foundation of the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem		21
		The development of the Bethlem precinct		36
		Politics and patronage		55
		Bethlem's income		68
		From Bethlehem to Bedlam: changing roles and personnel		80
		Medieval attitudes towards and treatment of the insane		94
		Institutional care for the insane in medieval and early modern times		111
		Images of Bedlam		130
Pt. II		1633-1783
		'Charitable persons for excellent ends': the administration and finance of Bethlem		156
		Visiting		178
		'The discipline of the house': environment, management and architecture		200
		The architecture of Bethlem at Moorfields by Christine Stevenson		230
		Medicine, medical officers and therapeutics		260
		The rule of 'sky-colour'd coats': inferior officers and servants		288
		Admission and discharge		315
		The politics of committal to early modern Bethlem		348
Pt. III		1783-1900
		Encomium: Bethlem, charity and the first history of the Hospital		365
		Fact and fancy		381
		A change of scene: Bethlem's move to Southwark		397
		More...

"A must-have for the historian of psychiatry."-"Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences "Stunning. At last Bethlem has the comprehensive history it deserves, firmly grounded in a wider social and political context. With a deft touch the authors have unpicked the tapestry of myth and misconception surrounding Bethlem, to reveal the intricate twists and turns of its various existences. Psychiatric historiography has been considerably enriched."-Nick Hervey, co-author of "Masters of Bedlam

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