Bedlam: London's Hospital for the Mad

by Paul Chambers

BETHLEM HOSPITAL is the oldest mental institution in the world, to many famously known as ‘Bedlam’: a chaotic madhouse that brutalised its patients. Paul Chambers explores the 800-year history of Bethlem and reveals fascinating details of its ambivalent relationship with London and its inhabitants, the life and times of the hospital’s more famous patients, and the rise of a powerful reform movement to tackle the institution’s notorious policies. Here the whole story of Bethlem Hospital is laid bare to a new audience, charting its well-intended beginnings to its final disgrace and reform.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medical, Psychology, Mental Health

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2009

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting look at the history of Bethlem Hospital from its inception to roughly the 1850s. The greatest chunk of the book focuses on a period from the late 17th to early 19th century, since this was the time during which a series of four men from the same family served as doctor there, and the hospital went from allowing tourists to gawk at patients, to secrecy and scandal, and then to controlled openness under government oversight. While the history of the hospital after finally being forced to allow outside inspections is surely less entertaining than the infighting and political machinations of its governors trying to maintain their own power, I would have enjoyed a little more thorough treatment of it than merely a summary consisting of approximately a third of the final chapter. This edition suffers from a need for more editing, though it is still readable. Overall worthwhile for anyone interested in the hospital itself or in the history of mental illness, particularly in England.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less a history of Bedlam...and more a very thorough timeline of mental health reform throughout Great Britain. Not what I thought I was going to read, but interesting nonetheless...

[Jane Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the beginnings of mental health services in Great Britain.
Interesting comparisons of the struggles in parliament regarding funding and development of services, from the 17c onwards. Many of the issues are still relevant in todays politics.
Undoubtedly there’s been progress in the medical treatment of mental health patients, if you can access services in the first place, before reaching the depths of ‘lunacy!’

[Andrea Schemehorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but informative. I didn't hate it. This book is essentially a history of policy and legislation of the hospital, as well as the corruption of its administrators. More of a 'behind the scenes' history, so be advised, if that's not what you're looking for.

[Thea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was better than I expected! I went fairly nuts when I was in London for a long weekend in February, and just picked this up while I was at the Imperial War Museum (bless my dear friend Laura for taking me there, given that she works there and it was a Sunday). I was just tickled that the modern IWM is on the site of the former Bethlem (as Mr. Chambers refers to it) Hospital, at least in its 1815 to WWI location.

The book is really a history of Bedlam itself -- the founding, the physical building, the people who worked there, and a smattering of the stories of patients. Mr. Chambers somewhat jarringly but not disrespectfully refers to the inhabitants of Bethlem as "lunatics", but it's clear that he's more sticking with the times than trying to be rude. The book is really more of a teaser for a greater discussion of public perceptions of mental health in the 18th and 19th century, which itself is utterly fascinating. I don't fault the book for being more about the actual physical hospital and its administration -- that was actually really interesting (why were the Governors so hellbent on being "independent", one must ask), but it certainly whetted my appetite to read more about historical views on mental health and community responsibility to manage it, along with the types of disorders or maladies were viewed as ones necessitating temporary or permanent mental healthcare facility stays. Furthermore, I thought -- probably rather stupidly -- about how the use of various pharmacological treatments is, effectively, replacing the chains and straitjackets in managing certain behaviors that can result in aggressive or dangerous behavior. I, of course, think that is probably the more humane course to use sedatives, but it's still just a tragic flaw in human brain chemistry that there are individuals who are in need of some type of restraint, be it physical or chemical, in order to avoid causing harm.

Anyway, not the most thrilling book, but certainly interesting!

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un resoconto, a volte fin troppo dettagliato, della storia del famoso ospedale psichiatrico londinese. L'autore non si sofferma su particolari raccapriccianti ma dà invece largo spazio ai problemi legislativi e gestionali posti dall'esigenza di trovare una sistemazione adeguata per i malati di mente. Una lettura molto interessante che stimola ad approfondire l'argomento.

[Dean J Vance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.

A thoroughly interesting read. Giving an excellent account of the history of Bethlem Hospital.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in its history of the history of asylum reform in the UK.

[peter david mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overview of history of bedlam.

A comprehensive account of the history of bedlam hospital and the work and treatments given to the patients. The reform movement is covered in detail in a readable way. Some of the best known inmates cases are covered too.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched and engagingly written

[Changeling72 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always been drawn to Bedlam not only due to its place in popular British folklore, but also since I discovered that one of its incarnations (or, rather, structures) was located hard by Liverpool Street Station, the terminus which serves my home town. Bethlem is the oldest mental institution in the world, established as a priory in 1247 and becoming a hospital in 1330. It was fascinating to read the salatious details and scandals of patients chained, festering in their own filth and beaten, under-nourished and frozen. Equally, treatment of said patients was not far removed from torture under the leadership of four generations of the family Monro (Hanoverian nepotism at its best) and their unyielding faith in purgings, bleedings and evacuations. Physicians were absent and members of the public could pay a small fee to tour the hospital and heckle the patients. Chambers includes a lot of background on attitudes towards mental health and the enormous differences in mental health institutions and the rise of private mad houses. More or less anyone could be imprisoned in one of the private mad houses at this time, a husband who wanted to get rid of an inconvenient wife could have her secured in a private mad house (for the regular payment of the fee) no questions asked. He also details the changing attitudes throughout the Georgian period, the scandals resulting from the mistreatment of patients and the enlightened individuals who campaigned for the better treatment of the inmates of such facilities. It was a good read, although I did think that there could have been more about the early years and more recent times, but perhaps the documentation for the early life of the hospital no longer exists and the latter history makes for a less colourful read? The most fascinating thing of all, for me, though, is that the Bethlem Royal Hospital still exists, though long since removed to Bromley under the auspices of the NHS.

[Lisa Houlihan]

That was unexpected. Before reading this book, I did not know the term "Tom O'Bedlam." It referred to the raving madman roaming the roads of early modern England and occurs in King Lear. I just wandered to Stella's, a coffee-and-book-shop (i.e. heaven) and, perusing the fiction section, spotted a book titled Tom O'Bedlam. Being by Robert Silverberg, it didn't tempt me, but that's almost an occurrence of All Books Are One Book.

[madsenmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting...I had no idea Bedlam had been an institution since the 1400s! This is not only a history of the hospital, but also a mini history of the field of psychiatry and prevailing views of the insane. I loved it!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, but less about the patients' lives and more about the shameful politics that led to the deplorable conditions for which this institution is famous.