The care and treatment of mentally ill people have largely been determined by social and political forces. The last two centuries have seen the emergence and decline of many treatments, all based on the flimsiest of hypotheses. Fads and fashions also dictated the most appropriate place for treatment. Community care is the latest in a long line. This concept is hardly new. Before 1800, mentally ill people were treated at home. This article seeks to challenge assumptions, such as faith in progress, and asserts that there is no cause for complacency.
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