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'Madness' and the supernatural

Professor Owen Davies reveals why believing in the supernatural saw scores of patients admitted to asylums in the 19th century

Published: January 12, 2024 at 7:02 AM

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The birth of psychiatry in the early-19th century changed the way that 'madness' was understood, with beliefs in the supernatural becoming evidence of insanity. Charlotte Hodgman spoke to Professor Owen Davies about the men and women who found themselves placed in asylums as a result of their supernatural beliefs, and investigates how old beliefs clashed with new ideas in a rapidly changing world.

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Owen Davies is the author of Troubled by Faith: Insanity and the Supernatural in the Age of the Asylum (Oxford University Press, 2023)

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Authors

Charlotte HodgmanHead of video operations

Charlotte Hodgman is head of video operations at HistoryExtra

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