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Overview“Reads as much like a novel as it does a work of medical scholarship.”—Patrick McGrath, New York Times Book Review Madhouse revealsa long-suppressed medical scandal, shocking in its brutality and sobering in its implications. It shows how a leading American psychiatrist of the early twentieth century came to believe that mental illnesses were the product of chronic infections that poisoned the brain. Convinced that he had uncovered the single source of psychosis, Henry Cotton, superintendent of the Trenton State Hospital, New Jersey, launched a ruthless campaign to “eliminate the perils of pus infection.” Teeth were pulled, tonsils excised, and stomachs, spleens, colons, and uteruses were all sacrificed in the assault on “focal sepsis.” Many patients did not survive Cotton’s surgeries; thousands more were left mangled and maimed. Cotton’s work was controversial, yet none of his colleagues questioned his experimental practices. Subsequent historians and psychiatrists too have ignored the events that cast doubt on their favorite narratives of scientific and humanitarian progress. In a remarkable feat of historical detective work, Andrew Scull exposes the full, frightening story of madness among the mad-doctors. Drawing on a wealth of documents and interviews, he reconstructs in vivid detail a nightmarish, cautionary chapter in modern psychiatry when professionals failed to police themselves. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Andrew ScullPublisher: Yale University Press Imprint: Yale University Press Dimensions: Width: 15.60cm , Height: 0.30cm , Length: 23.50cm Weight: 0.544kg ISBN: 9780300126709ISBN 10: 0300126700 Pages: 384 Publication Date: 23 September 2007 Audience: General/trade , Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , General , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Out of stock  The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available. Table of ContentsReviews'Scull writes an exemplary narrative - reminding us that today's respected clinician can still easily become tomorrow's mad scientist.' Michael Moorcock, Daily Telegraph 'Madhouse is fascinating. Scull's detection is impressive; it extends over years.' Hugh Freeman, Times Literary Supplement 'A brilliant piece of medical scholarship...' The Irish Times Author InformationAndrew Scull is professor of sociology and science studies, University of California, San Diego. He is also the author of Most Solitary of Afflictions: Madness and Society in Britain, 1700-1900, published by Yale University Press Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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