The poor law of lunacy : the administration of pauper lunatics in mid-nineteenth century England, with special emphasis on Leicestershire and Rutland
Previous historical studies of the care of the insane in nineteenth century England have been based in the history of medicine. In this thesis, such care is placed in the context of the English poor law. The theory of the 1834 poor law was essentially silent on the treatment of the insane. That did not mean that developments in poor law had no effect only that the effects must be established by examination of administrative practices. To that end, this thesis focuses on the networks of administration of the poor law of lunacy, from 1834 to 1870. County asylums, a creation of the old (pre-1834) poor law, grew in numbers and scale only under the new poor law. While remaining under the authority of local Justices of the Peace, mid-century legislation provided an increasing role for local poor law staff in the admissions process. At the same time, workhouse care of the insane increased. Medical specialists in lunacy were generally excluded from local admissions decisions. The role of central commissioners was limited to inspecting and reporting; actual decision-making remained at the local level. The webs of influence between these administrators are traced, and the criteria they used to make decisions identified.
Bartlett, Peter
Psychiatry; Insane; Asylums
The poor law of lunacy : the administration of pauper lunatics in mid-nineteenth century England, with special emphasis on Leicestershire and Rutland. Previous historical studies of the care of the insane in nineteenth century England have been based in the history of medicine. In this thesis, such care is placed in the context of the English poor law. The theory of the 1834 poor law was essentially silent on the treatment of the insane. That did not mean that developments in poor law had no effect only that the effects must be established by examination of administrative practices. To that end, this thesis focuses on the networks of administration of the poor law of lunacy, from 1834 to 1870. County asylums, a creation of the old (pre-1834) poor law, grew in numbers and scale only under the new poor law. While remaining under the authority of local Justices of the Peace, mid-century legislation provided an increasing role for local poor law staff in the admissions process. At the same time, workhouse care of the insane increased. Medical specialists in lunacy were generally excluded from local admissions decisions. The role of central commissioners was limited to inspecting and reporting; actual decision-making remained at the local level. The webs of influence between these administrators are traced, and the criteria they used to make decisions identified.
poor_law lunacy administration pauper england special_emphasis leicestershire previous historical_study care insane england base history medicine care place_context english poor_law theory poor_law essentially silent treatment insane mean development poor_law effect effect must establish examination administrative practice end focus network administration poor_law lunacy county asylum creation old pre poor_law grow_number scale new_poor law remain authority local justices peace mid_century legislation provide increase role local poor_law staff admission process time workhouse care insane increase medical specialist lunacy generally exclude local admission decision role central commissioner limit inspect reporting actual decision_making remain local_level influence administrator trace criterion_use make_decision identify