HIST 350: Madness (HC): Special Collections Resources

Anna Cope Evans suffered a nervous breakdown in 1900 and spent time in "Bournewood" in Brookline, MA. The collection includes her letters from Bournewood as well as letters from Rachel Cope Evans, Anna's mother, on her daughter's health and recovery.

This collection contains seven letters of Alban Cope during his time at New York State Lunatic Asylum in Utica and Harford Retreat.

This collection contains papers of numerous Philadelphia families including those of the Coates family that contain a document entitled, "Remarks on Insanity," belonging to T. Stewardson.

This work by Daniel Hack Tuke discusses mental illness and its treatment in the United States and Canada.

Written by Sir John Charles Bucknill in 1879, this work discusses effects of the mental health laws put into place in 1845 in England.

This work was written by Benjamin Rush in 1818.

Written by George Cheyne in 1753, this work discusses an early approach to medicine.

Written by William Rickman, this book is addressed to the "members of the Episcopal Methodist Society in the United States."

This work is an original edition of Hermann Rorschach's book on diagnosis of psychological illness and general psychoanalytical studies, and includes his work with the Rorschach test as a method of psychiatric inquiry.

Written by Robert Burton and published in 1621, this work gives an account of Renaissance era interpretations of "melancholy."

This book, published in 1600 and reproduced electronically, gives a poetic interpretation of melancholia.

This collection contains the correspondences and diaries of Thomas Scattergood who often wrote of his feelings of melancholy.

The Friends' Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of their Reason was founded in 1813 by a group of Philadelphia Quakers who were concerned about the state of mentally ill Quakers. The Asylum was established upon the Quaker idea that there is that of God in every person, and that mental illness does not change that fact.
This website presents and analyzes documents and data concerning patients, administrators, treatment and medical philosophy. More material is available for study in Special Collections.

This work was written as an account of the history of the Friends' Asylum for the Insane in Philadelphia.

These records include those of the Friends' Asylum in Philadelphia, which was known for its innovative approach to mental health care for the time. Materials include the Superintendent's journals and day books, minutes of various managing committees, financial information, and weather reports.

This book details Thomas Eddy's ideas for improving the operations of the Friends' Asylum and was read before the Governors of the New York Hospital in 1815.

This book provides suggestions for the treatment of mental illness, outlined by Thomas Story Kirkbridge.

Edited by Thomas Story Kirkbridge, this report covers the year 1841-1842.

This broadside contains a list of guidelines and supporters for a retreat at York for those afflicted with mental illness.

Written by the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason, this book is a guide for the operations of the local Asylum.

This book gives an account of the Friends' Asylum based on the operations of the year 1819.

This collection contains the diary of Elizabeth R. Shoemaker Taylor who gives an account of Morgan Hinchman's commitment to Friends' Asylum in Frankford, PA, in 1847 which resulted in a lawsuit against his family.

This collection contains one bound volume of minutes and tipped in reports, and a collection of related materials of loose papers. The minutes span from 1922 - 1932, and include minutes from semiannual meetings of the Committee. The loose papers include letters, type and printed reports, and brochures for the hospital.