ABSTRACT
An interesting perspective on British mental hospitals was from a tour by the National Mental Health Foundation, a US government body, in August 1947. The dawn of the National Health Service (NHS) coincided with the growth of physical treatments. Insulin coma therapy units became standard, although there were long delays in some hospitals due to limited resources. Although younger patients with a first admission were discharged, the mental hospitals were steadily becoming geriatric institutions by default. The population of the female side of mental hospitals had grown disproportionately, yet this was not always reflected in resources. As patients were taking the drugs ad infinitum, the incidence was increasing. The wonder drugs were thus a double-edged sword, calming psychotic disturbance but producing embarrassing effects that hindered socialisation. The Worthing Experiment showed that a high proportion of psychiatric patients could avoid admission to the mental institution, but those with severe and enduring psychotic illness needed support than could be provided in the community.
