Psychiatry: History of Psychiatry

This page contains some links to sources of historical material, as well as a list of some of the Library's books and reports relating to the history of psychiatry, with a focus on South Australia

All In The Mind - 12 July 2008 - Special Series (Part 1 of 3) Up the Line to Goodna: stories from inside the asylum
All In The Mind - 24 July 2010 - Special Series (Part 2 of 3) Up the Line to Goodna: stories from inside the asylum
All In The Mind - 31 July 2010 - Special Series (Part 3 of 3) Up the Line to Goodna: Patient rights and staff fights

The Conversation - Medical Histories
A series of articles published in The Conversation in November 2012.

Part One: Hypochondriac disease - in the mind, the guts, or the soul?
Part Two: Spermatorrhoea, the lesser known version of male hysteria
Part Three: Culture and psychiatry: an outline for a neglected history

History of Psychiatry timeline
A video produced by Dr Chris Pell, for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, April 2009.

Diseases of the Mind: Highlights of American Psychiatry through 1900
From the National Library of Medicine in the United States.

Kirkbride Buildings - Historic Insane Asylums
Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride was a founding member of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane (AMSAII)—forerunner of the American Psychiatric Association—serving first as secretary, then later as president. Through this association and in his writings, Kirkbride promoted a standardized method of asylum construction and mental health treatment, popularly known as the Kirkbride Plan.

Psychiatric Times History of Psychiatry Page
You need to register to view Psychiatric Times material, but registration is free. Greg Eghigian, PhD, is Section Editor for Psychiatric Times History of Psychiatry, and is Associate Professor of Modern History and former Director of the Science, Technology, and Society Program at Penn State University.

Resources on the History of Psychiatry
A bibliography compiled from the extensive resources of the National Library of Medicine in the United States. By Emily Martin, Professor of Anthropology, New York University, and Lorna A. Rhodes, Professor of Anthropology, University of Washington. History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine, August, 2004.

Below is a selection of books from our collection. They are listed by date - most recent first

For additional material go to my Finding Books by  Subject page, and type the heading psychiatry history into the search box.

From little seeds a big tree grows : celebrating 25 years of the Mental Illness Fellowship South Australia. (2009)
Edited by Olga Gostin.
Wayville, S.A. : Mental Illness Fellowship South Australia.
Call Number: 362.2099423 G6822f
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

Sweet, Melissa (2006)
Inside madness : how one woman's passionate drive to reform the mental health system ended in tragedy.
Sydney, Pan Macmillan Australia.
Call Number: 364.15230994 T6296ZS
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

McLoughlin, Pauline (2004)
Unhealthy places : examining asylum seeker mental health in the Australian mandatory detention environment / Pauline McLoughlin.
Thesis (B.H.Sc.(Hons.)) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Public Health.
Call Number: PPP00637
Location: Joint Store (URRSA)

Cawte, J. (1998)
The last of the lunatics.
Carlton, Vic., Melbourne University Press.
Call Number: 616.890092 C383l
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

Forbes, I. L. D. (1996)
From Colonial Surgeon to Health Commission : the government provision of health services in South Australia, 1836-1995.
[Myrtle Bank, S. Aust., I.L.D. Forbes?].
Call Number: 362.1099423 F693f
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

Fowler, J. (1996)
Beyond back wards and boarding houses : consumer report on the changes to the South Australian mental health system 1990-1995. [Adelaide], Marion-Brighton-Glenelg Health and Social Welfare Council and Disability Action.
Call Number: 362.2099423 F786b
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

Dibden, W. A. (William Andrew) (1993)
A biography of psychiatry.
[Adelaide, The author] Photocopy of the author's typescript.
Call Number: 616.890092 D544b
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

Dibden, W. A. (William Andrew) (1991)
[Papers] 1979-1991 A collection of papers, transcripts and oral histories used by Dr. Dibden in the compilation of his manuscript: A biography of psychiatry Dr. Dibden was Director of Mental Health Services in South Australia, 1967-78 and established the South Australian Association of Mental Health.
Call Number: MSS 0073
Location: Barr Smith Special collections manuscripts strong room (internal use only)

Shlomowitz, E. A. (1990)
The treatment of mental illness in South Australia, 1852-1884 : from care to custody.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Flinders University of S. Aust.
Call Number: 362.21099423 S558t
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

McFarlane, A. (1990)
The psychiatric sequelae of a natural disaster : the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires.
Thesis (M.D.)--Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide.
Call Number: 09M.D M143 Copy 2
Location: Barr Smith Main collection
Additional copy at Joint Store(URRSA)

Hinton, M. (1988)
Insanity, mental abnormality and criminal responsibility in South Australia.
Thesis (LL.B. (Hons))--University of Adelaide.
Call Number: 343.9 H666i
Location: Law Theses (internal use only)

Barrett, R. J. (1987)
Psychiatric practice and the definition of mental illness : the case of schizophrenia.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Anthropology, 1988
Call Number: 616.8982 B274pp
Location: Barr Smith Main collection

Matthews, Jill Julius (1984)
Good and mad women : the historical construction of femininity in twentieth-century Australia / Jill Julius Matthews
Sydney : George Allen & Unwin, 1984
Call Number: 305.420994 M439g
Location: Barr Smith Main collection
Additional copy in Joint Store (URRSA)

Goldney, R. D. (1981)
Presentation of a plaque in honour of Sir Aubrey Lewis to the University of Adelaide : Florey Lecture Theatre, Adelaide Medical School, Thursday, 5th November, 1981.
Adelaide, South Australian Branch Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
Call Number: 926.1 P933
Location: Barr Smith Main collection
Copy also available Barr Smith Special collections University (internal use only)

Holt, Averil G. (1979)
Hillcrest Hospital, the first 50 years / [by] Averil G. Holt.
Gilles Plains, S.A. : Hillcrest Hospital.
Call Number PP71
Location: Joint Store (URRSA)

Matthews, Jillian Mary.
Good and mad women : a study of the gender order in South Australia 1920-1970 / [by] Jillian M. Matthews
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of History, 1979.
Call Number: 090PH M439
Location: Barr Smith Main collection
Copy also available at Joint Store (URRSA)

Heaslip, B. K. (1972)
Saints and strait jackets : an intimate view of life in an Australian psychiatric hospital by Barbara Heaslip, an ex-patient.
Mitcham, S.A., B. Heaslip.
Call Number: G16038
Location:  Joint Store (URRSA)

South Australia. Mental Health Services (1971-81)
Report of the Director of Mental Health Services on the Mental Health Services of South Australia. Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (1970-1979/80)
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)
Library Has: (1970 - 1979/1980)

Kay, H. T. (1970)
1870-1970 : commemorating the centenary of Glenside Hospital [compiled and written by Henry T. Kay]. Netley, S.A., Griffin Press.
Call Number: 362.2099423 K23e
Location: Barr Smith Main collection
Additional copies at Joint Store (URRSA)

South Australia. Office of the Director-General of Medical Services (1965-71)
Report of the Director-General of Medical Services on the Mental Health Services of South Australia. Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (1962/63-1969)
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)
Library Has: (no.) 48/49-52 (1962/1963 - 1966) (1967 - 1969)

South Australian Association for Mental Health (1964-79)
Mental health news : quarterly newsletter of the S.A. Association for Mental Health.
Adelaide, The Association. (no.1, 1964 - no. 49, 1979)
Call Number: MM17914
Location: Joint Store (URRSA)
Library Has: no. 1-40 (1964:Aug. - 1976:May) no. 42-45 (1976:Nov. - 1977:Nov.) no. 48-49 (1979:Oct. - Nov.)

Trethowan, W. H. (1960)
Mental Health services in South Australia and Overseas. [s.l.], [s.n.].
Call Number: G28804
Location: Joint Store (URRSA)

Parkside Mental Hospital (1948)
Regulations in force under the Mental Defectives Act, 1935-1945 : relating to officers, attendants, nurses, artisan attendants, etc., also respecting inquiries and departmental examinations Mental Hospital, Parkside. Adelaide, S.Australian Govt.
Call Number: 362.21099423 P252r 1948
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

South Australia. Office of the Director-General of Medical Services (1940-62)
Report of the Director-General of Medical Services on the Parkside Mental Hospital, Northfield Mental Hospital, and Enfield Receiving House.
Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (26 (1939) - 47 (1961))
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)
Library Has: (no.) 26-47 (1939 - 1961)

Parkside Mental Hospital (1939)
Regulations in force under the Mental Defectives Act, 1935-1936 : relating to officers, nurses, attendants, artisan attendants, etc., also respecting inquiries and departmental examinations Mental Hospital, Parkside. Adelaide, South Australian Govt.
Call Number: 362.21099423 P252r 1939
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

South Australia. Inspector-General of Hospitals. (1929)
Report of Inspector-General of Hospitals on Parkside Mental Hospital, Northfield Mental Hospital, and Enfield Receiving House (institutions under the Mental Defectives Act,1913), for the year ended ... and Report of the Mental Defectives Board for the year ended...
Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (16 (1929) - 25 (1938))
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

South Australia. Inspector-General of Hospitals. (1922)
Report of Inspector-General of Hospitals on institutions under the Mental Defectives Act,1913, for the year ended ... and Report of the Mental Defectives Board for the year ended...
Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (9 (1922) - 15 (1928))
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

South Australia. Inspector-General of Hospitals (1914)
Report of Inspector-General of Hospitals on the Mental Hospital, Parkside and the certified mental defectives, for the year ended...
Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (1 (1914) - 8 (1921))
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

Tucker, G. A. (1885)
Lunacy in many lands : being an introduction to the reports on the lunatic asylums of various countries, visited in 1882-5 by G.A. Tucker, and presented by him to the Government of New South Wales.
[Sydney?, G. Tucker?]
Call Number: 362.2109 T892l
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

Adelaide Lunatic Asylum. (1874)
Report on hospitals for the insane [at Adelaide and Parkside] in South Australia for the year.. Adelaide, Govt. Printer. (1874-1913)
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)

Adelaide Lunatic Asylum. (1870-1871)
Annual report of Resident Medical Officer of the Lunatic Asylums.
Adelaide, Govt. Printer.
Call Number: 362.20942305 S726a
Location: Barr Smith Special collections rare books (internal use only)