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Psychiatric Institutions of the Past
Image: Straightjacket (pre-1940)
Source: Museum Victoria
Large asylums were established for the collective institutionalisation of the mentally ill in Europe in the 1700s. This included the notorious Bedlam in London, where conditions and treatment of patients were considered severe and brutal.
Psychiatric institutions were first established in Australia in the mid 1800s. Many patients were institutionalised for life. They experienced a variety of illnesses including post-natal depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, bipolar disorder and dementia.
The 'asylums' were under-resourced, and conditions were crammed and spartan.
With the advent of psychotropic drug treatment and welfare cost-cutting, most large 'asylums' were closed down in the 1980s.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 50 items
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Straitjacket - Mayday Hills Hospital, Cream Canvas, circa 1900
Heavy cream canvas straitjacket worn by some female patients as a restraining device at a mental health hospital - Mayday Hills Hospital, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, circa 1900. Al ...
From: Beechworth, Australia Images: 6 -
Petticoat - Webbed, Cream Moleskin, circa 1910
Cream moleskin webbed petticoat used to restrict leg movement of agitated and violent patients at a mental health hospital in Victoria, Australia, circa 1910-1930. Made circa 1900-1930.
Images: 3 -
Dress - Reinforced Cotton, Quilted, Blue, circa 1900
Heavy cotton quilted strong dress worn by agitated or violent female patients in a mental health hospital in Victoria, Australia, circa 1900. The reinforced fabric made destruction of t ...
Images: 6 -
Dress - Branch Central Clothing, Child's Corduroy Pinafore, Red, circa 1980
Red corduroy pinafore worn by young female patients at St Nicholas Hospital, a hospital for children with intellectual disabilities, in Carlton, Victoria, Australia, circa 1980. It was ...
From: Bundoora, Australia Images: 2 -
Stencil Plate - Ballarat Lunatic Asylum, Metal, circa 1900
Square metal stencil plate used for labelling objects 'Ballarat Lunatic Asylum', circa 1900. Used at the Ballarat Lunatic Asylum, a mental health hospital in Ballarat, Victoria, Austral ...
From: Ballarat, Australia Images: 2 -
Padlock & Key - Chubb & Sons, 1859
Padlock and key used in a mental health hospital in Victoria, Australia, 1859. Manufactured by: Chubb & Sons Lock and Safe Co Ltd, 1859.
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 3 -
Observation Hole - Brass, circa 1900
Brass observation hole which would have been installed on a door in order to observe patients at a mental health hospital in Ballarat, Ballarat Mental Hospital, Victoria, Australia, cir ...
From: Ballarat, Australia Images: 2 -
Isolation Cell - Kew Asylum, Wood, circa 1870
Isolation cell (also known as an isolation chamber) circa 1870. This structure was recovered by Dr Charles Brothers from the Blacksmith's Shop at Kew Asylum, Victoria, Australia. The ce ...
From: Melbourne, Australia Images: 8 -
Pill Tray - Mayday Hills Hospital, Wood & Metal, circa 1960
Pill Tray - Mayday Hills Hospital, Wood & Metal, circa 1960. Pill tray used by nurses to distribute medications to patients at a mental health hospital Mayday Hills Hospital, Beechworth ...
From: Beechworth, Australia Images: 2 -
Cap - Padded, Cotton & Kapok, circa 1900
Alternative Name(s): Hat, Helmet Cotton cap padded with kapok used in a mental health hospital in Victoria, Australia, circa 1900. Padded caps were used by patients to minimise head in ...
Images: 3
