Asylums Research Paper

How have treatments changed over the years?
When asylums opened in the 18th century many of the treatments used were inhumane. The worst treatments were Lobotomies, Trephinations, Exorcisms and other Religious Ceremonies. (1)
Lobotomy is when an Orbitoclast gets inserted through the bottom of the eye socket into the Frontal Lobe. This process was meant to “rewire” the brain to help overcome certain disorders. (11)
Trephination is when a hole gets drilled in the patient's skull with either a saw or bore, this is meant to relieve pressure in the brain to “cure” mental illnesses. (11)
Recently the treatments used treat Mental Illnesses have become humane and personalised depending on the patient's current mental state (3)
Some of the new treatments

There are many different types of jobs available within asylums. These jobs can range from being a part of the medical team to being a handyman. Many of these jobs had Leaders and assistants. Many asylums are self-sustained meaning they need lots of staff. (5)
Asylums also have many maintenance workers, most are Blacksmiths, Brick Masons, Engineers and Carpenter. These jobs are vital for the upkeep of the Asylums. As many patients can be violent and destructive. (5)
Asylums also have to prepare 3 meals a day for both patients and staff. This means that asylums will need a large kitchen and lots of staff. The work in the kitchen is taken on by many chefs and bakers. (5)
What qualifications and skills do you need to work in an Asylum?
To work in an asylum the minimum education needed is a High School Diploma, although having an Associate’s (6) or Bachelor’s Degree (7) will open more opportunities within the medical side of an Asylum. (6)
To be able to work in an asylum one must have certain skills and abilities. Whilst working in an asylum one will need to handle many different kinds of patients. A Staff member must remain calm; stay professional and composed when working in demanding situations, they must also be able to handle any mood swings that the patients may have.

The United Kingdom’s Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in the United Kingdom released figures in 2009 that shows over a 10-year span (1999 to 2009) 3540 patients passed away in Asylums and Nursing Homes. These figures have been classed as horrific by The Howard League for Penal Reform. It has also been released that a majority of the deaths happen in ‘Closed Institutions’ and that more males passed away at 1979 out of the 3540 peoples, the count for females was 1561 out of the 3540 people. (8)
In Victoria, Australia 119 of the 502 death inquests between 2008 and 2010 were related to mental illnesses, a third of these deaths were at state and private run asylums, the rest were from people who died outside of asylums by committing suicide, being involved in a car accident or a house fire and drowning. (9)
Inside asylums from the 18th Century to 20th Century patients went through horrible treatments, many led to their deaths, like Chair Binding, Scalded to death by water heated to 33°C-36°C and Hyperthermia from simulated drowning and ice baths. (10)
What were some of the worst “treatments”