The West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum

11. Treatments

Treatments at the asylum included bleeding and purging with leeches, seclusion in padded cells and restraint. Medicines were prepared by the doctor using zinc, silver and morphine and great emphasis was given to the state of a person's bowels. A range of cures including mutton chops, wine, beer, cannabis, baths and mustard plasters were also used.

A particularly unpleasant treatment was the revolving chair where patients were strapped in and twirled round at 100 revolutions per minute. There were often terrible after effects and just the mention of it was enough to quieten patients. This was stopped in 1821 as such punishments became to be seen as inhumane.

12. Closure of Stanley Royd

Gradually over the years society's attitude to people with a mental illness has changed and the emphasis now is on care in the community. Institutions such as Stanley Royd have become redundant and patients live or are treated in a more normal home environment. The site is currently being developed as a housing estate as all the residents are now living out in the community.

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