The Conversation | J Eveson/Alamy
The provision of care for the mentally ill has long been considered a public responsibility. In Britain, the 1774 Madhouses Act was a response to concerns about abuse in private madhouses. Soon after, the County Asylum Act of 1808 and Lunacy Act of 1845 were passed in England and Wales to create dedicated public facilities for the mentally ill, so they wouldn’t languish in workhouses. Dozens of asylums began popping up all over Britain, regulated by the newly established Lunacy Commission. Above: Lancaster Moor hospital, formerly the Lancaster County lunatic asylum