| On offer at 25% discount - limited to current stocks We all know the word ‘bedlam' as a term of madness and confusion, but few of us really know the story of how this term was coined, or the real history of the notorious Bethlem Hospital in London. The oldest mental health institution in the world, Bethlem Hospital is famous to many only as ‘Bedlam', a chaotic mad-house which brutalised its patients. In fact, for much of its history such abuse was a rarity, the exception being between 1700 and 1855 when the hospital, under the dynastic control of the Monro family, implemented a brutal medical programme that soon gave ‘Bedlam' an unsavoury reputation. This riveting account focuses upon the Monro dynasty as a central structure, interwoven with the other key elements such as the hospital's ambivalent relationship with London, Londoners and the government, the life and times of its more interesting patients – from political dissenters and religious maniacs, to murderers and female transvestites – and finally, the rise of a powerful reform movement which forced the government to take the issue of Bedlam seriously. Sensitively written and meticulously researched, this book is a compulsively brilliant exploration of an institution that continues to fascinate today. Accomplished historian Dr. Paul Chambers uncovers much new material relating to the hospital's 800 year history, ensuring that this story of Bedlam is like no other. He balances the gore, depravity and madness against a touching, compelling, and sometimes comic story, which raises crucial questions about our own attitudes towards mental health. Contents:
- Acknowledgements
- Author’s Notes
- Prologue
- 1 – Bedlam in the Making
- 2 – The Monro Era
- 3 – The Madhouse Reformers
- 4 – The Last Battle
- Bibliography
- Endnotes
- Index
Continent: Europe
Country: UK |
