Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th century
We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors & Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater.
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We will explore the ways of classifying mental health conditions that influenced how people were treated before public asylums and the growth of modern psychiatry in the nineteenth century. The vocabulary used to describe conditions has changed, but the underlying classifications are remarkably similar to those used today. Treatments, however, were very different and, broadly speaking, can be divided into the gentle and the shock. What do these tell us about the beginnings of what became psychiatry and modern mental health care?
What will we cover?
Academic definitions of types of insanity; how lay people understood mental illness; how the law interpreted and dealt with insanity and mental disability, especially in relation to property and suicide; treatments, including charlatans; the growth of private asylums.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Describe how mental illness was understood and treated from the 1300s up to the nineteenth century
Understand the role that the law played in dealing with the mentally afflicted, both before and after death
Pursue further reading/research on these subjects, with a detailed reading list handout.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is suitable for complete beginners/those with a curiosity about the topic.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will be taught via a series of talks and discussions. Optional further reading will be provided on the day.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HHS11: An introduction to the history of 19th & early 20th century mental health (with Dr. Sarah Wise)
HHS07 'Everybody Hurts': The History of Emotions, Mindsets and Mentalities (online evening, term 3, with Dr. Linsey Hunter)
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/sanity-insanity-a-brief-history-of-mental-health-and-its-treatments-before-the-19th-century2687928Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th centuryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/a/sanity-insanity-a_brief_history_of_mental_health_and_its_treatments_before_the_19th_century.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/The history of science/Courses/Weird and wonderful City Lit2285117711781347217451228511771178<p>We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors & Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater. </p>003031102Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th century7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/a/sanity-insanity-a_brief_history_of_mental_health_and_its_treatments_before_the_19th_century_2.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-11-28T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allNov 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHHS147979Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th century635179Kathleen Chatersanity-insanity-a-brief-history-of-mental-health-and-its-treatments-before-the-19th-century/hhs14-2627<p>We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors & Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater. </p>0000-Available|2026-11-28 00:00:00<p>We will explore the ways of classifying mental health conditions that influenced how people were treated before public asylums and the growth of modern psychiatry in the nineteenth century. The vocabulary used to describe conditions has changed, but the underlying classifications are remarkably similar to those used today. Treatments, however, were very different and, broadly speaking, can be divided into the gentle and the shock. What do these tell us about the beginnings of what became psychiatry and modern mental health care?</p><p>We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors & Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater. </p><p>Academic definitions of types of insanity; how lay people understood mental illness; how the law interpreted and dealt with insanity and mental disability, especially in relation to property and suicide; treatments, including charlatans; the growth of private asylums. </p><ul><li>Describe how mental illness was understood and treated from the 1300s up to the nineteenth century</li><li>Understand the role that the law played in dealing with the mentally afflicted, both before and after death</li><li>Pursue further reading/research on these subjects, with a detailed reading list handout.<strong><em> </em></strong></li></ul><p>The course is suitable for complete beginners/those with a curiosity about the topic.</p><p>The course will be taught via a series of talks and discussions. Optional further reading will be provided on the day. </p><p>No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>HHS11: An introduction to the history of 19th & early 20th century mental health (with Dr. Sarah Wise)</p><p>HHS07 'Everybody Hurts': The History of Emotions, Mindsets and Mentalities (online evening, term 3, with Dr. Linsey Hunter) </p>HistoryThe history of sciencevirtual637951HHS14NONESat28/11/2610:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyWeekendKSKeeley StreetKathleen ChaterBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-11-28T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeNov 2026Culture, history & humanities7979Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th centurysanity-insanity-a-brief-history-of-mental-health-and-its-treatments-before-the-19th-century/hhs14-2627<p>We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors &amp; Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater.&nbsp;</p>0000-Available|2026-11-28 00:00:00<p>We will explore the ways of classifying mental health conditions that influenced how people were treated before public asylums and the growth of modern psychiatry in the nineteenth century. The vocabulary used to describe conditions has changed, but the underlying classifications are remarkably similar to those used today. Treatments, however, were very different and, broadly speaking, can be divided into the gentle and the shock. What do these tell us about the beginnings of what became psychiatry and modern mental health care?</p><p>We will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors &amp; Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater.&nbsp;</p><p>Academic definitions of types of insanity; how lay people understood mental illness; how the law interpreted and dealt with insanity and mental disability, especially in relation to property and suicide; treatments, including charlatans; the growth of private asylums. </p><ul><li>Describe how mental illness was understood and treated from the 1300s up to the nineteenth century</li><li>Understand the role that the law played in dealing with the mentally afflicted, both before and after death</li><li>Pursue further reading/research on these subjects, with a detailed reading list handout.<strong><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></strong></li></ul><p>The course is suitable for complete beginners/those with a curiosity about the topic.</p><p>The course will be taught via a series of talks and discussions. Optional further reading will be provided on the day.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>HHS11:&nbsp;An introduction to the history of 19th &amp; early 20th century mental health (with Dr. Sarah Wise)</p><p>HHS07&nbsp;'Everybody Hurts': The History of Emotions, Mindsets and Mentalities (online evening, term 3, with Dr. Linsey Hunter)&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>HistoryThe history of scienceconfigurable
134721178The history of sciencehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/the-history-of-science1/2/285/1177/1178/134721/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/The history of science
