Queen Mary and Westfield College London University PhD Thesis ...

nently involved, in both his capacities, in the hospitals' affairs, mediating with notables on the
hospitals' behalf, and very much at the hub of the Courts and Committees which initiated and
supervised the spectacular re-building of Bethlem at Moorflelds". He was the first, judging by
Robert Hooke's diary, to actually discuss the plans for the new building with the architect'78.
He was appointed a member of the new rotational committee for Bethlem in 1677, and probably
advised on the new rules and regulations for the house established in that year, in particular,
the changes in patients' diet designed to better 'conduce to their Recovery' and the exclusion
of visitors from patients in a state of nakedness or 'in a course of cure' without the Physician's
consent179.
Edward Tyson's physicianship was in many ways a golden age of therapeutic initiative and
optimism at the newly constructed hospital, the doctor inspiring a whole host of improvements
in the hospital's medical provision, including:- the appointment of the first nurse for patients
with bodily ailments at the hospital (see infra & chap. 3); the establishment of the Wardrobe
Fund (see chap. 3); the introduction of the therapy of cold (and warm) bathing; and the
inauguration of an ambitious policy of after-care, with a preventative, dispensing facility and a
discretionary relief fund (commonly known as 'Tyson's Gift') for discharged patients (see infra).
I have discussed Richard Hale's career at Bethlem elsewhere, and it is suffice to say here that he
consolidated Tyson's work, with assiduity, rather than remarkable vision, and was instrumental
in the establishment of the incurables' wards at Bethlem180.
Tyson's career, perhaps, best typifies the ambivalent position of the mad-doctor, and the
Bethlem Physician in particular, as both recognised expert and sitting-duck for disparagement.
On the one hand, Tyson was praised by his friends for his services in curing 'depraved Sense'
and raising 'the fain Image of God', as both 'learned' and 'skilful'. On the other hand, he was
177 See e.g. BCGM, 19 June, 11 & 29 July, 9 & 23 Oct. 1674, 22 Jan., 4 & 18 June 1675, foLd 1-4, 13-23, 42-6,
51-6, 90-94, 132-3, 138.
178 Hooke, Diary (ede) Robinson & Adams, 14 April 1674; 'With Dr. Allen at Bedlam. View'd Moorfields for
new Bedlam. Drew up report for him. At Sir W. Turner. Undertook new Designs of it...'. Hooke's diary is,
overall, rather unilluminating about affairs surrounding the re-building of Bethlem, although it was plainly rife
with squabbling between the Governors & their workmen. One can only guess at the import of the tantalisingly
brief comments he made; e.g. 'Fri Nov. 13 (16741 Design'd module of Bedlam, Governors stark mad of the Dr...'.
Hooke's diary does suggest how active Allen was in the project & that the two were on friendly terms, Hooke
even taking advke on his diet from Allen; see e.g. entries dated 19 Feb., 29 March, 9 April, 19 JLIIy, 6 Aug., 10
Sept. 1675,3,4 & 11 Jan., 23 March & 6 June 1676
179 See BCGM, 16 Feb. & 30 March 1677, loIs 336 & 356-61.
180 See Andrew., 'A respectable mad-doctor'.
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