Conception of Insanity and their Impact on the Saskatchewan Hospital, North Battleford

Legal, medical, and social conceptions of insanity influenced the perceived role of the insane institution and contributed to institutional commitment's dual function of treatment and detainment. This thesis examines the legal, medical, and Mental Hygiene conceptions and their impact on Saskatchewan Hospital, North Battleford between the years 1914 and 1945. Emphasis is placed on the manner in which the institution attempted to accommodate the changing conceptions and the way it came to be criticized as a failure. In order to ascertain the changing conceptions of insanity and their impact, information has been derived from a variety of sources with particular emphasis placed on the primary sources available to the public. The historical analysis of primary material provided the basis for understanding the changing conceptions and institutional role. It also illustrated the subjective nature of insanity definition and the inherent difficulty of managing the insane