What significance did Pinel have in the history of the treatment of the mentally ill? Rush? Dix?
Philippe Pinel was a great physician, who contributed his whole life for the betterment of the insane people kept in asylum. He studied mental disorders after his inability to treat his friend suffering from the same. Pinel joined hands with Daquin, whose work impressed him. Pinel also started writing articles regarding treatment of mentally disturbed people. Later, he was accepted as director at Bicetre asylum.
There he noticed the ill condition of the people kept there. He saw them chained up and were also told about the violent tragedies, which the insane did. Pinel analyzed the situation and worked upon the same by starting with unchaining them and then later providing good care, proper food, favored bathing, and freedom. This care provided to people at asylum made them leave the violent act, and slowly these people started getting better and even leaving the asylum. Pinel’s contribution made people believe in his abilities. He also helped the women in La Salpetriere. His ideas also proved to be a great success there.
Benjamin Rush was a surgeon general in army. He published “medical inquiries and observations upon the diseases of the mind” in which he talked about the ways in which mentally ill people were treated. He stated that people should be left free, unchained, should be provided with the good food, be allowed pleasant walk. He also asked not to put these people on display as an amusement material. Rush whereas was in favor of tranquilizing chairs, bloodletting and other cruel acts as this helped in calming the patient and providing relief to vascular congestion.
Dorothea Lynde Dix was very concerned about the treatment of the people suffering from mental illness. She toured around the world for seeking help. She visited different states and there she pin pointed the bad ways of treating the patient. She went to Queen Victoria and pope pius IX for convincing them about the need of care and better facility for these insane people.
The contribution by these great people helped in improving the condition of the patients. They helped the people suffering from mental illness to get free from the harsh acts that were done against them.