Maudsley Hospital
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Commentary
The Maudsley hospital was first properly opened in 1915 when an act of parliament had to be obtained so they could accept voluntary patients. The hospital was named after Henry Maudsley, who had a keen interest in Psychiatry and research: his donation of £40,000 meant the hospital could be fully developed.
Initially due to the First World War the hospital was a war hospital, treating those from the military. This was especially important due to the influx of ‘shell-shock’ cases during the inter-war period. During the Second World War the hospital was relocated in two places due to the threat of bombing.
In 1928 a Child Guidance Clinic was established and later in 1947 the Children’s department was developed. The hospital also became the centre for the Institute of Psychiatry.
The Maudsley has in some ways been the seat of experimental and some argue, objective Psychology in Britain. Famously, as head of Psychology there Hans Eysenck continued to attempt to improve the objectivity of Psychology and use experimental methods. It was from the Maudsley that Hans Eysenck rejected projective methods and began his critique of the Rorschach. In turn Eysenck’s work and ethics has too been questioned but that has not shaken the major contributions of the Maudsley hospital itself. The Maudsley is now a part of Kings College and continues to promote research and teaching in Psychiatry and Psychology.