Madness and Society in Eighteenth-Century Scotland

by R. A. Houston

Overview

How did people view mental health problems in the eighteenth century, and what do the attitudes of ordinary people towards those afflicted tell us about the values of society at that time? Here, Rab Houston draws upon a wide range of contemporary sources including asylum documents, civil and criminal court records, including the written and spoken words of sufferers themselves, to present unique insights into the many issues related to madness. A detailed yet profoundly humane and compassionate study, this book describes the everyday experiences of those suffering mental impairments ranging from idiocy to lunacy and explores the many meanings and implications for society in the eighteenth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198207870
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/16/2000
Series:	Oxford Studies in Social History
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 5.70(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

University of St Andrews

Table of Contents

1. Methodology - Mental Incapacity in the Present and in the Past2. Sources and the Law3. Patterns of Madness4. Being Mad5. Being Sane6. Mind and Body: The Causes of Insanity7. Madness and Religion8. The Language of Insanity 1: Words About the Insane9. The Language of Insanity 2: The Words of the InsaneConclusionGlossaryBibliography

Editorial Reviews

"He (Houston) has given us a carefully researched and written book. It is thoughtful and humane, as well as provocative."—Journal of Interdisciplinary History

From the Publisher