Madness, Morality and Medicine

This detailed study of the York Retreat (famous for promoting mild methods of treatment for the insane) uses the unrivalled wealth of archival material on the Retreat's history and is thus able to tackle the complexities of the development of psychotherapy in the nineteenth century. Dr Digby's approach is both analytical and comparative, placing the Retreat in the context of related developments and evaluating the distinctive nature of its approach, the extent of its influence in Britain and the United States, and the degree of success of its treatment. The book details a computerised study of the patients and also examines the personal papers of a Retreat attendant, which provides rare insight into the attitudes of those who cared for the insane in Victorian England. This comprehensive account is further highlighted by a selection of original photographs from the Retreat's archives.