Life and Death in the Asylum: Medical History researchers take to Riverside Theatre's stage
Holly Fleck
The Riverside Theatre on Ulster University’s Coleraine Campus will host a live talk on the 27 October at 12pm. Life and Death in the Asylum, c.1840-1970 will be presented by Dr Ian Miller, Michael Kinsella and Rebecca Watterson.
Together, the presenters are a small group of medical history researchers who collaboratively focus on the medical history of Belfast with a desire to research more of Northern Ireland.
The researchers welcome the return of live productions at the Riverside Theatre saying that, “as researchers on the Coleraine campus, the Riverside Theatre is close to our heart and we are delighted to be able to share our research in-person”.
Throughout the presentation each researcher will discuss their findings and as an audience member, Dr Miller states you will gain a “greater awareness of the complexities of mental health history”.
Dr Ian Miller, a lecturer in Medical History at Ulster University said that his research delves into the “healthy bodies, healthy minds” belief of 19th Century psychiatrists. His investigation reveals that although “most patients in 19th century institutions such as prisons and workhouses were poorly fed – asylum diets revealed that patients were much better fed”.
(Credit: Ulster University)
Aware of how a 19th century Irish asylum excluded middle and upper-class individuals, Michael Kinsella, a PhD researcher expresses that as “mental illness is a health and social issue affecting all layers of society I became interested in how middle and upper-class Irish families addressed these care needs”.
During this event Rebecca Watterson will be “bringing to life patient experiences and their encounters with psychiatrists, shock therapies and lobotomies”.
As her thorough research shows “significant numbers of psychosurgeries took place from the 1940s across the UK in vast numbers”.
The researchers are also currently developing a learning resource that consists of articles and podcasts to share their medical history findings.
Find out more about their research by visiting their website: www.epidemic-belfast.com
Tickets for Life and Death in the Asylum, c.1840-1970 can be purchased here.
Holly Fleck is a health and lifestyle reporter for The Scoop and a Journalism student at Ulster University