"Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots" offered some interesting insights into the workings of Great Britain's asylums in the 19th century.

The first couple of chapters which focused on when which asylum was built was rather slow and not very interesting, but the later chapters which focused on the actual workings of the asylums was much more interesting.

FASCINATING READ, excellent pictures.
Pen and Sword does such an excellent job with these historical subjects.

Didn't get to read, book was archived whilst Kindle was broken

Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots A History of Insanity in the 19th Century Britan and Ireland
By: Kathryn M. Burtinshaw and John R.F. Burt

This book gives very detailed information concerning the formation of various types of facilities in which insane persons could be housed, from workhouses, gaols [jails], “mad” houses, asylums, and the best of them being called “retreats'.

The book can also be a valuable resource for genealogists searching for an ancestor who “disappeared” from the family tree and is no longer listed on mainstream sources. The book lists several official registers for Lunatic/Insane Asylums that can be used to search for that “lost” ancestor.
*Patient names are not listed for public view until 100 years have passed, for patient privacy.

Although today, the terms lunatic, imbecile and idiot seem harsh, they were the terms used regularly by professionals and lay people alike to label people with mental health disorders. These WERE the professional medical terms and were not intended to be derogatory, hateful or hurtful.

Prior to the early 19th century people with mental health disorders were most often hidden at home, chained up in attics/basements, in prisons or workhouses and were treated as wild animals – not as humans. It was only in the 19th century that authorities began the difficult task of ensuring these people were institutionalized, provided shelter, cared for humanely as people and treatment options sought.

The first facilities were often horrendous and it took many decades, even centuries, for improvement to occur.

The book describes the horror and inhumane treatment these people were subject to and the dire need for the repeated enactment of new laws to prevent such cruelty. During unannounced inspections, patients had been found naked, filthy, strapped to beds laying in days (or weeks) of excrement, chained to walls, no water in the facility, starved. There was an incident during such inspection that a corpse was found in one room of over 20 men, and next door in a women's room, a woman was found holding her child who had died many days previous – to the point the child's body was putrid from decomposition.

The book is written very factual, it reads like one of my college Psychology text books. The case studies of actual patients brought home the reality that these WERE real people, not just a story in a book. I enjoyed this book, but it did take me over a week to complete.

I would recommend the book to those interested in Psychology and or Genealogy.

Thank you netgalley and author(s)/publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Review posted on amazon, goodreads, netgalley and moonshineartspot.blogspot

A truly enlightening account of the development of mental health care in the UK in the nineteenth century. Through actual accounts of treatment methods and also focusing on those who sought to improve the conditions the reader is able to get a sense of what asylums' were like. One of the most interesting aspects I felt was the disparity in conditions between those who could afford care and those who could not. This lack of quality mental health care for some while providing a nurturing environment for those that can afford it has parallels in the healthcare systems of today and the continual need for improvement of mental health care.

A very dry but extensively detailed resource for anyone interested in the development of treatment for the mentally disabled during the Nineteenth Century in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The author, John Burt, provides documented sources of personal histories, newspaper stories, journals and correspondence to add meat to his lengthy piece of research into the chronological buildup and progression of Asylums and Homes for those in dire need of better housing, empathy and treatment. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.

‘Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots” is a comprehensive and fascinating account of historic asylum health care originating in the U.K. that includes England and the British Isles, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Authored by award winning historians and registered professional genealogists, Dr. John Bert is retired and based in Edinberg. Kathryn Burtinshaw is the owner of Pinpoint Ancestry in North Wales and received advanced training in Local History at Oxford University.

The Bethlehem Royal Hospital in London was established in the mid-thirteenth century as a Priory, with a ministry to care for the poor, and lodging for visiting clergy. By the fourteenth century, the facility began specializing in the services for the mentally ill, turning into the sensational notorious “Bedlam”—associated with chaos and the true horrors surrounding madness. Tickets were sold to the public for amusement and entertainment to view deranged lunatics at Bedlam, the money raised was also used to fund asylum operations. From 1764-1844 patients were commonly chained and shacked to solid objects/walls in most establishments/institutions with restraints of all types used to contain them. Despite the lack of education and knowledge in mental health care, local authorities enacted the Vagrancy Act (1744) which offered human rights protections to those housed in madhouses and asylums.

The care of lunatics in the 17th and 18th centuries was terribly poor and cruel, in overcrowded establishments, with severe neglect related to filth, disease, and physical abuse, with minimal funding, provisions, and staffing. The asylums weren’t designed originally to provide treatment and care, but to control and keep patients contained and isolated from society. The use of “Work Houses “ (England) and “Houses of Industry” (Ireland) were also common. Taxation for public funding of services, especially in Ireland was limited or non-existent. Often local parishes assumed charitable care for the vulnerable individuals within their communities, while others were left alone to roam the countryside. Only affluent individuals with wealth and means received exclusive services and care in public establishments or institutions, usually separated from the ordinary resident population.

By 1815, there was increased public awareness of conditions and the suffering of the mentally ill. This was due to studies by “mad doctors” and “alienists” many were asylum superintendents. The York Retreat operated by William Tuke (1732-1822) was the first of its kind to offer “moral treatment” that supported patients with dignity, compassion, and kindness. This was a misunderstood “revolutionary idea” for that time. Tuke also discontinued the use of restraints in asylums in England and Ireland. Dr. William Hallaran (1765-1825) linked hereditary and genetic conditions to insanity, and his book prompted improved care and understanding of the mentally ill. Thomas Arnold (1742-1816) compared the highest rates of insanity in England (caused by a desire to acquire wealth and riches) where in Scotland and Wales cases of madness he noted, were rare.
The Denbigh Asylum (1848-1995) was built in Wales following public outcry over abusive and shameful treatment of Welshmen in English asylums. The Royal Edinburgh was founded by Dr. Andrew Duncan (1744-1828) following the death of Scottish poet Robert Fergusson (1750-74) who died of a head injury under questionable and mysterious circumstances. American moral crusader Dorothea Dix (1802-87) was alarmed over conditions and treatment of the mentally ill while touring Scotland, and was successful in petitioning Queen Victoria to discuss her findings.

By the 1850’s asylums grew in size and number. The West Riding Pauper Asylum and other Pauper asylums formed the U.K. economic and healthcare foundation in the 19th century. Colony Hatch was the largest asylum in England with the longest recorded corridors and passages totaling over 6 miles. The great need for services would always exceed what was offered. By 1901 there were 17,000 admissions in asylums originally designed to accommodate 5,000 patients. The Irish readily accepted institutionalized culture which was often preferable to home life following The Great Famine (1845-52) the population dropped 20% with one million lives lost to starvation and disease, an additional million people emigrated.

There is much detail in the book of all aspects of asylum life compared to private facility care, the difficulties of each. Conditions were usually harsh despite regulations to protect this vulnerable population. It was interesting how these gothic structures were constructed regarding fire and other safety measures. Treatments and care were explained with staffing requirements, concerns and expectations. Criminal insanity, along with Epilepsy, Suicide, and Puerperal Insanity were discussed in detail. The conclusion regarding the failure of moral care was very troubling, yet substantiates public policy regarding two types of care required for the developmentally disabled and mentally ill in modern society. Many photos and case studies were included; the cover of the book is exceptionally good! Special appreciation and many thanks Pen and Sword Books Ltd. via NetGalley for the direct digital copy for the purpose of review.

Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots A History of Insanity in Nineteenth-Century Britain and Ireland by Dr John Burt and Kathryn Burtinshaw was a challenging read but a very fascinating one. The authors detail how the mentally ill were cared for before the nineteenth century. They also delve into legislation that was meant to reform their care. Several chapters describe the care of the mentally ill in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

The description of life in an asylum was fascinating. It really was much more humane than it eventually became. There were open spaces. Music, art and gardens were part of the patients’ lives. The patients were kept clean and physically healthy.

An attempted assassination of King George III changed the way the criminally insane were treated. At first they were housed with other mentally ill. Eventually they were housed by themselves. The case studies included in different sections were fascinating. The chapter on treatments was disturbing.

It is interesting to see how these asylums were originally created to be. The way they degenerate into houses of horror by the end of the nineteenth century is extremely sad. The mentally ill are treated more as animals than humans who are in need of medical care. If you are interested in the history of the treatment of the mentally ill, I recommend this book. It can be a slog with some of the dense information but it is worth it.

I have worked in the mental health sector in the UK and have always been incredibly interested in the history and progression of the system.
This definitely satisfied my curiosity. It was well written and researched. I found the accounts fascinating and while there is always room for improvement in healthcare, it is great to see that the UK has come forward so far since the asylums.
A very important read, people shouldn't be afraid of mental health and these kinds of books are pivotal in helping people to be able to learn from the past and ensure that we never return to those ways.

Kathryn Burtinshaw and Dr. John Burt have put a tremendous amount of research, time and heart into an incredibly difficult and complex piece.

I felt compelled to review this due to my family’s personal connection to the issue. Decades ago when the turmoil between Protestants and Catholics was much worse, and Catholics had little to no power, just being a Catholic was often considered enough of a crime to warrant punishment. I had a great grandfather beaten over the head and committed to an asylum under the guise of treatment in order to cure his politics is the nice way to put it.

Opening with an explanation on the reason behind difficulties in discovering information on your ancestors as well as the various types of records used is very educational particularly as they pointed out there once was a very seemingly embedded “don’t ask don’t tell” policy as if anything to do with mental health was shameful.

The inclusions of case studies brought a sense of realism to a weighty subject as you take in how the system worked and understand you’re not just reading about history but about real people who once walked this earth and how that life treated them.

Reading about the ‘treatments’, and I use that word lightly, used on people is enough to make you believe in evil and not question the veracity of horror movies ever again. The authors regularly broke up how mental health was handled by areas since even though Ireland, Scotland, Wales & England are close each culture is unique to the area so how their people approach the subject would be unique. Even with England’s domination over the area, Ireland included for a long period of time, the people still held onto their own unique cultures, languages, ideas, beliefs and so forth so what constitutes mental illness in one area may not in another; the authors did a remarkable job of pulling these apart to exhibit those specifications.

The in-depth history, legalities, descriptions of day to day life, and everything else they poured into this one book provides an extremely detailed analysis of an oft ignored subsect of the human population. The authors treated this weighty subject with a caring tenacity that showed they truly believed in showcasing the truth on a dark period in human history with the compassion it deserved.

This was an interesting book on Asylums and how they came to be, how people were treat back in the early 1900's and late 1800's. I enjoyed this but I did get a tad bored of the legislation that seemed to last pages and pages. If you are simply fascinated by the history and legislation you will love this but for me it was just ok.