Abstract
There was a growing disquiet in eighteenth-century England about the activities of private madhouses. Early legislation, in 1774, gave limited powers of registration and inspection to local magistrates.The exposure of flagrant abuses in both private and public institutions by a parliamentary select committee, in 1815, brought the question of visitation to the centre of the lunacy reform agenda. Subsequent legislation extended the responsibilities of magistrates and also established the principal of centralised oversight. An effective national system of regulation was finally created in 1845, with Commissioners in Lunacy required to provide formal visitation to all public and private asylums.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
