1959-1971

Dr. Joseph Spillane took up the post of Physician Superintendent the same year as the Mental Health (1959) was introduced.

This was also the beginning of a new decade.  The sixties were revolutionary in so many ways in music, politics, science and technology.

For the mental health services in Cardiff, it meant the diversification and development of a range of new specialised services.

Thanks to Tim Goosey for this post

1937-1959

Dr. Thomas J. Hennelly took up post as Medical Superintendent after being Deputy to his predecessor, Dr. Peter McCowan.

Two years later the World War II broke out and the hospital was once again taken over by the War Office for the treatment of military casualties.

A reduced service was retained for the mentally ill.

In the brave new world that followed the war, the Whitchurch Hospital became absorbed into the National Health Service in 1948.  The hospital fell under the direction of the new Whitchurch and Ely Hospital Management Committee, many of whom had been members of the old Visiting Committee.

Dr. Hennelly, who had assumed the NHS title of ‘Physician Superintendent’, wrote these words at the time:

‘In a changing world…we need hardly fear that the transfer of ownership will be in any degree revolutionary or that for a long time, such is the state of the world, the shortage of beds and of medical personnel, any great improvement in medical services will result.’

Thanks to Tim Goosey for this post

1929-1937

Dr. Peter McCowan held the post of Medical Superintendent after Dr. Goodall.  Like his predecessor, he was keen to maintain the individuality of the patient and avoid the dangers of institutionalisation.  His appointment coincided with the implementation of the Mental Treatment Act (1930), which replaced the Lunacy Act (1890).  The new act allowed for the first time voluntary admission to mental hospital.

Thanks to Tim Goosey for this post

The first Medical Superintendent of Cardiff City Mental Hospital was Dr Edwin Goodall.

Edwin Goodall was born 1863 in Calcutta and was the son of a solicitor.  He qualified as Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at Guy’s Hospital in 1886 then went to work in Tübingen in Germany where he was a contemporary of Alois Alzheimer, after whom Alzheimer’s disease was named.

In 1906, Dr. Edwin Goodall was appointed Medical Superintendent of Cardiff City Lunatic Asylum and charged with commissioning the new institution.  Later that year he addressed the South West Wales Division of the BMA as Chairman, with a paper about the Hospital Treatment of Curable Cases of Mental Disorder. He advocated development of acute and chronic hospitals and out patient treatment in general hospitals, a theme he regularly returned to throughout his career. He also proposed a change to the law so that marriage to anyone released from an asylum became punishable by law.

The post of Medical Superintendent brought with it not only responsibility for the doctors and nurses, but also the small army of technical and administrative staff that were required to run the hospital on a day to day basis.  Every piece of correspondence at the time was copied to Dr. Goodall.

Thanks to Tim Goosey for this post