Bethlem Royal Hospital
The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a hospital for the treatment of mental illness located in London, United Kingdom, and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognized as the world's first and oldest institution to specialize in mental illnesses. It has been variously known as St. Mary Bethlehem, Bethlem Hospital, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam.
The Hospital is closely associated with King's College London and in partnership with the King's College London Institute of Psychiatry is a major center for psychiatric research. It is part of both the King's Health Partners academic health science center and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health.
The word bedlam, meaning uproar and confusion, is derived from the hospital's prior name. Although the hospital is now at the forefront of humane psychiatric treatment, for much of its history it was notorious for cruelty and inhumane treatment – the epitome of what the term "madhouse" or "insane asylum" might connote to the modern reader.
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Bethlem_Royal_Hospital ]
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