Mental+Illness+History

=** Mental Illness History **=

In the 1940 treatment for mental illness took a turn with ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). that time the also had insulin shock therapy and the use of frontal lobotomy. The effect of a lobotomy on an overly excitable patient often allowed them to be discharged to their homes, which was seen by administrators (and often guardians) as a preferable solution than institutionalization. Lobotomies were performed in great numbers from the 1930s to the 1950s.

A new Mental Disorders and Treatment Ordinance were introduced in 1935. The term ‘lunatic’ was changed to ‘person of unsound mind’. Doctors were given the power to admit patients and voluntary treatment was allowed.

Restraining devices used in hospitals in the 1800's and early 1900's included the padded helmet which was attached to the patient's head to keep him from banging it against sharp or hard objects, the hand mitten which looked like a boxing glove and prevented patients from gouging and scratching, the straight jacket which restrained the patient's arms, and cold wet packs which were used by wrapping the patient in ice cold, wet sheets. In addition, patients having seizures were given hydrotherapy, in which they were restrained in bath tubs, covered up to their necks with canvas and bathed with warm water. Electroshock, insulin shock and lobotomies were used only in rare uncontrollable cases.

In the early 2000's, the BC government announced a new administrative structure for health services, comprising five geographically-based regional health authorities plus the Provincial Health Services Authority, which is responsible for specialized, province-wide services. Riverview and the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission are among the agencies placed under PHSA. Also, the Riverview Redevelopment Project was announced. The aging institutional buildings at Riverview were to be gradually phased out, and replaced by new smaller tertiary care facilities located in each of the five geographic regions of BC. The Riverview patients were transferred to facilities within those health regions in a carefully planned “bed for bed” transfer process.