The aim of the History of Medicine and Health Special Interest Group is to bring together university academics and students, and to forge links with other interested parties both within the University and externally.
Hosted by the Faculty of Health, the group seeks to promote interdisciplinary and cross-faculty research collaborations, holding online seminars each semester with invited speakers and to enable researchers to showcase their work.
The next group seminar entitled 'Asylum Stories: A history of Cornwall鈥檚 St Lawrence鈥檚 Hospital' will be given by guest speaker Dr Jo Ersa, Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter in the Department of English and Creative Writing, and amongst her many research interests is the history of mental illness and its treatment.
Jo will be presenting a seminar on her previous research of the former St Lawrence鈥檚 Psychiatric Hospital built in 1815 to be the County Lunatic Asylum for over 100 鈥渋nmates鈥. During the 18th and 19th centuries patients admitted to mental health institutions were often subjected to barbaric treatments including the use of strait jackets, ECT without anaesthesia, lobotomies and trepanation. Jo鈥檚 research involved the collation of oral memories from former asylum patients and staff, and she will be presenting some of their personal stories and experiences.
All are welcome to join the meeting using the Zoom link (to follow).
Email julie.tomlinson@plymouth.ac.uk for any queries.