Dr Charles Smith’s 1847 facility for mentally-ill became Nimhans
, ET Bureau|
Dec 14, 2017, 12.14 PM IST
Dr Charles Irving Smith was among the first English births in the Bangalore Cantonment. Both came into existence in 1809.
Apart from working at the Hospital for Soldiers, Peons and Paupers (where Bowring Hospital stands), he was the surgeon of the Mysore Commission under Sir Mark Cubbon, who was then the Commissioner.
The England-trained doctor, highly inspired by the public mental health asylums created by the British and French in the early 1800s, convinced his paymasters in Bengaluru to build a separate facility for the mentally ill. That was how the Bangalore Lunatic Asylum, the earliest effort to institutionalise treatment of mental health issues in the city, came into being in 1847.
"Though psychiatry has a long history and been documented by various communities, it was the British who established mental hospitals for treatment. They did this in most of their colonies across the world," says Dr Sanjeev Jain of the psychiatry department at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans). He has co-authored 'Mindscape and Landscape: An Illustrated History of Nimhans, 1850-2014'.
Dr Smith, who was Mark Cubbon's personal physician, maintained detailed diaries and case notes that mirror the trends in medicine in Mysore. They range from cases of fractures and infectious diseases to information about Mysore's weather and greenery. For instance, entries note how consumption of spirits and bhang (cannabis) was listed as a common cause of "mania" in the 19th century, accounting for about 75% of medical admissions.
In the 19th century, the asylum recorded patients from multiple nationalities, including Armenians, Irish, Italians and British. "Records show that Dr Smith had over 35,000 patient-visits at a time when the city's population was just around 1.5 lakh. This means about a quarter of the total population consulted him," says Dr Jain. After Dr Smith's death in 1871, his son Henry Hammond Smith continued to practice in Bengaluru.
By the early 1930s, the asylum was running to full capacity and receiving over 100 admissions every year from across India. After the First World War, it was moved to its current location, for which the foundation stone was laid by the Mysore King Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.
It was initially called 'Government Mental Hospital' and found its first Indian psychiatric superintendent in Dr Frank Noronha. He was supported by prominent psychiatrist Dr MV Govindaswamy. Together they were responsible for maintaining systematic records and providing state-of-the-art treatment.
In 1974, the amalgamation of this hospital with the All India Institute of Mental Health led to the formation of Nimhans.
Apart from working at the Hospital for Soldiers, Peons and Paupers (where Bowring Hospital stands), he was the surgeon of the Mysore Commission under Sir Mark Cubbon, who was then the Commissioner.
The England-trained doctor, highly inspired by the public mental health asylums created by the British and French in the early 1800s, convinced his paymasters in Bengaluru to build a separate facility for the mentally ill. That was how the Bangalore Lunatic Asylum, the earliest effort to institutionalise treatment of mental health issues in the city, came into being in 1847.
"Though psychiatry has a long history and been documented by various communities, it was the British who established mental hospitals for treatment. They did this in most of their colonies across the world," says Dr Sanjeev Jain of the psychiatry department at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans). He has co-authored 'Mindscape and Landscape: An Illustrated History of Nimhans, 1850-2014'.
Dr Smith, who was Mark Cubbon's personal physician, maintained detailed diaries and case notes that mirror the trends in medicine in Mysore. They range from cases of fractures and infectious diseases to information about Mysore's weather and greenery. For instance, entries note how consumption of spirits and bhang (cannabis) was listed as a common cause of "mania" in the 19th century, accounting for about 75% of medical admissions.
In the 19th century, the asylum recorded patients from multiple nationalities, including Armenians, Irish, Italians and British. "Records show that Dr Smith had over 35,000 patient-visits at a time when the city's population was just around 1.5 lakh. This means about a quarter of the total population consulted him," says Dr Jain. After Dr Smith's death in 1871, his son Henry Hammond Smith continued to practice in Bengaluru.
By the early 1930s, the asylum was running to full capacity and receiving over 100 admissions every year from across India. After the First World War, it was moved to its current location, for which the foundation stone was laid by the Mysore King Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.
It was initially called 'Government Mental Hospital' and found its first Indian psychiatric superintendent in Dr Frank Noronha. He was supported by prominent psychiatrist Dr MV Govindaswamy. Together they were responsible for maintaining systematic records and providing state-of-the-art treatment.
In 1974, the amalgamation of this hospital with the All India Institute of Mental Health led to the formation of Nimhans.
