Mental Illness and the Late Victorians: a Study of Patients Admitted to Three Asylums in York, 1880-1884

A retrospective study of 118 inpatients of Retreat Asylum in York, England between 1880-84. 72% were deluded (most common delusions: persecution, grandeur & guilt). 34.9% of these had delusions with a religious content. Suicidal ideation was recorded in 31.4%. Drug therapy was commonly prescribed. Within 1 year 49.1% were discharged. These 118 patients were compared to the patients at 2 nearby asylums serving different socio-economic groups. Mortality was highest in the paupers’ asylum. (CM)