Total Bedlam: Madness in the Eighteenth Century

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Total Bedlam: Madness in the Eighteenth Century

Brief History of Bedlam and of the Treatment of Madness

Bethlem is the oldest hospital in the world dedicated to the treatment of the mentally ill. Bethlem (or Bedlam, as it is commonly known) Hospital began in Bishopsgate Street as a priory for the Order of the Star of Bethlehem in 1247; it was first identified as a hospital in 1330, as a hospital that admitted "lunatics" in 1403. In 1676, the hospital was relocated to Moorfields (this is the scene for the action in Greg Hollingshead's Bedlam). Bedlam moved to new home in 1815: St. George's Field, where it remained until 1930, when it moved one final time to Monk's Orchard, Beckenham.

Bethlem Hospital was co-governed with Bridewell Prison from the mid-1570's until 1948.

Madness in the eighteenth century was widely considered to be evidence of either a criminal mindset, brain damage or a moral failing on the part of the patient; this is perhaps why Bethlem and Bridewell shared governors, records, and funding for such a long time.

Mentally ill patients were treated in hospitals with brutal techniques for most of the eighteenth century: forced purgings, cold baths and starvation.

In 1788, King George III showed signs of delerium; his medical advisors took him to the country to recuperate and called on the expertise of a Dr. Willis to help cure the king. This well-publicized event affected a shift in public sentiment toward the mentally ill.

Through the mid-18th and into the 19th century, the Society of Friends or "Quakers" were instrumental in establishing new ways of treating madness. They believed in humane treatment of mentally ill patients and established private homes such as The Retreat as an alternative to Bedlam. The main effort here was, however, a "moral" approach, and offered little or no actual medical supervision of patients.

Public asylums based more closely on the more humane Quaker model became more common as the 19th century progressed. Mentall illness was considered more a disease of the mind, and less a question of morals, criminality or brain damage.

Related Madness

Conversations, the home page for ENGL 3205, Prose Narrative Before 1800.

Welcome to Bedlam, my weblog for the course, which is dutifully updated regularly with stunningly witty and perceptive comments about the course material.

Greg Hollingshead*, author of Bedlam.

*NB: Mr. Hollingshead will be reading from Bedlam on October 18th, 2004 in the Faculty and Staff Lounge of UNBSJ as part of the Lorenzo Reading Series.

"Bedlam" is an old English word meaning one discharged and licensed to beg. Bedlamers, Bedlamites, or Bedlam Beggars wore a tin plate on their arms to identify them as "official" beggars.