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| The '''Royal Bethlem Hospital''', (which has been variously known as Bethlem Hospital, Bethlehem Hospital and '''Bedlam''') is the world's oldest ]. It has been a part of ] since ], first as a priory for the sisters and brethren of the order of the Star of Bethlehem. Its first site was in Bishopsgate Street. In ] it is mentioned as a hospital, and it is documented that in ] some of the first ]s were there. In ] Bedlam was handed over by ] with all its revenues to the city of ] as a hospital for lunatics. It became famous and afterwards infamous for the brutal ill-treatment meted out to the insane. In ] Bedlam moved to new buildings in ], outside the City boundary. In the ] people used to go there to see the lunatics. For a penny one could peer into their cells, view the freaks of the "show of Bethlehem" and laugh at their antics. The lunatics were first called "patients" in ], and "curable" and "incurable" wards were opened in 1725-34. In ], Bedlam was removed to ], ]. Finally, in ], the hospital was moved out of London, to Eden Park near ], ]. | |||
| Bethlem was most notably portrayed in a scene from ]'s ''A Rake's Progess'' (]), the story of a rich merchant's son whose ] living causes him to end up in a ward at Bethlem. This reflects the view of the time that madness was a result of moral weakness. | |||
| ]<br> | |||
| <small>''Scene of Bethlem Hospital from Hogarth's A Rake's Progress''</small> | |||
| The word "Bedlam" has long been used for lunatic asylums in general, and later for a scene of uproar and confusion. | |||
| In another old English use of the word, "a Bedlam" signified one discharged from Bethlem Hospital and licensed to beg. Such persons wore a tin plate on their arm as a badge and were known as Bedlamers, Bedlamites, or Bedlam Beggars. | |||
| ==Notable patients of Bethlem hospital== | |||
| * ], artist. | |||
| * ], tea merchant. | |||
| * ], catalyst for creation of the ] (criteria for the ] in the British legal system) after the attempted murder the Prime Minister ]. | |||
| * ], artist. | |||
| ==External Links== | |||
| * http://www.museum-london.org.uk/MOLsite/exhibits/bedlam/f_bed.htm Museum of London: Bedlam | |||
| * http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02387b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Bedlam | |||
| * http://www.ric.edu/dcousins/europsych/bedlam.html Bedlam, London, England | |||
| * http://www.bethlemheritage.org.uk/ Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives + Museum | |||
| * http://www.londonancestor.com/views/vb-bethlem.htm Picture of Bethlem Hospital, in its St George's Fields location | |||
Revision as of 21:24, 20 November 2003
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