For this project I intend to explore the history of mental asylums, particularly in 1960. I analyse the patients of such mental institutes and compare them to people suffering from similar disabilities in modern day. From this research, I intend to produce a set of images and supporting text that work together to challenge the ideologies of psychology from the 1960's. In particular I will touch upon how people effected by these mental illnesses were treated by family, neighbours and the media. From first look into researching this theme I have already come across painter Richard Dadd, and the film 'Sybil' which should help me to begin further research.

I will use this blog to present my the my finding via Primary and Secondary research. I will also use it to conclude what I have found and how I will apply it to my practice.

Tuesday, 14 January 2014

Admitted Mental Patients with Famous Names


  1. Richard Dadd 
    • Painter who suffered from Paranoia Schizophrenia. 
    • In 1842 when Dadd underwent a dramatic personality change after travelling through troubled countries in the East. At one point he believed himself to be under the influence of the Egyptian God 'Osiris'. Initially his companions thought that he was just suffering from sunstroke. 
    • 1843 saw him diagnosed with an 'unsound mind' but he wasn't admitted to a hospital. Just sent to the countryside to recuperate. A couple months later her returned having convinced himself that his Dad was the devil in disguise. He then killed his him before fleeing to France.
    • Dadd was committed to Bethlam Psychiatric Hospital, followed by Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum after attempting to murder a tourist with a razor. 
    • It was believed that Dadd's disorder was hereditary after two of his siblings had been affected. 
    • Whilst admitted he was encouraged to paint as a form of recovery. Many of his most famous pieces were created whilst he was a patient. 
    • He died in Broadmoor from "extensive decease of the lungs."



  2. June and Jennifer Gibbons 

    • The twins were born in Barbados but moved to Wales when they were still fairly young. 
    • The sisters were inseparable from a young age and their fast garble made it difficult for people to understand them.
    • They were the only black people in the community so were segregated quite a lot. They were often let out of class early so they could avoid be bullied after class.
    • They are believed to have developed Cryptophasia which is a language developed by twins and in unintelligible to anyone else. It didn't take long until the twins vowed silence and only spoke to one another.The twins were sent to separate bonding schools to try and get them to speak but they just withdrew themselves.
    • Once reunited they began writing novel together, many based upon strange, criminal behaviour. 
    • The girls were admitted to Broadmoor Hospital after committing a number of crimes, including arson and put on high dosages of antipsychotic drugs which lead to Jennifer developing Tardive Dyskinesia, a belated form of Tourette Syndrome of the body. 
    • Apparently the twins had agreed that if one twin were to die then the other must talk and live an otherwise normal life. In the hospital they decided that one must sacrifice, Jennifer agreed.
    • Upon being transferred from Broadmoor to a more remote clinic, Jennifer died of acute heart inflammation. However there was no evidence of drugs or foul use, therefore her death is a mystery. 
    • June lives on, no longer followed by the psychiatric heath unit. 






  3. Ronnie and Reggie Kray 

    • As far as I can see, the Kray twins had no traumatic past, apart from their sister passing away in infancy. 
    • They were most notorious for their gang and it's violence.
    • In the 1960's they were publicised a lot and were seen an honourable night club owners.
    • Both of the twins were admitted to Broadmoor Asylum for committing various crimes however only Ronnie Kray was officially certified insane and later died in the hospital. 






  4. Robert Maudsley 

    • He was one of 12 children and spent most of his earlier years at an orphanage before he was retrieved by hist parents. He was then abused, beaten and raped.
    • As a teenager Maudsley has a drug addiction before being forced to receive help after trying to commit suicide on multiple occasions. During his psychiatric help, he claimed he could hear voices that told him to kill his parents. I haven't found any evidence but I would imagine he was schizophrenic.
    • Maudsley later killed a man after he showed Maudsley pictures of children he had sexully abused. 
    • He was them committed to life at Broadmoor Hospital for the criminally insane. Whilst there he later killed a patients, one who was committed for being a child molester. 
    • He was then moved to Wakefield Prison where he killed two more patients. He was then deemed to dangerous so they built a class cell for him in which he would spend 23 hours of the day.




  5. William Chester Minor 

    • Sibling of Thomas T. Minor, mayer of Seattle in the 1880's. 
    • He attended Yale completing the Medical education. 
    • He was accepted by the Union Army as a surgeon but was once tasked to brand an Irish solder with a 'D' on his face for deserter. This later played a role in his dementia delusions.
    • Minor devoted much of his time to New York's red light district and it's prostitutes which got the attention of the Army. 
    • He was eventually admitted to St. Elizabeths Hospital, Mental Asylum where his health never progressed.
    • Minor was moved to the UK where he later shot a man for fear of him breaking into his home. He was found not guilty for reason of insanity and was convicted to Broadmoor. 
    • Despite suffering from Paranoia, Minor spent his last years in the Hospital volunteering for the creation of Oxford English Dictionary. 



  6. Daniel M'Naghten (Mc'Naughton) 

    • Suffered from paranoia delusions. 



  7. Rober Napper 

    • He suffered from paranoia schizophrenia and asperger's syndrome.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)