The West Riding Asylum And The Origins Of British Neurology 1866-1876

Neurology in the United Kingdom has long been defined by its distinctive blend of clinical practice and scientific inquiry. While history of the field often spotlights the National Hospital at Queen Square as its early centre, this book uncovers an equally influential one, that reshapes our understanding of when neurology became a science. 

Focusing on the decade between 1866 and 1876, it reveals how the West Riding Asylum Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Wakefield helped forge the research foundations of British neurology. Under the dynamic leadership of James Crichton Browne, the Asylum evolved into a pioneering hub of investigation. A dedicated pathological laboratory, new research‑focused staffing structures, and the creation of the West Riding Lunatic Asylum Medical Reports fostered a vibrant culture of experimentation and publication. Annual medical conversazione further extended the institution’s reach, drawing in external physicians and engaging the wider medical community. 

In contrast to Queen Square’s exclusively clinical orientation during the same period, the West Riding Asylum championed a model in which research was integral to neurological understanding. 

Bringing these developments together, this book reframes the intertwined histories of neurology and psychiatry, positioning the West Riding Asylum as a crucial—yet underappreciated—site in the scientific origins of the discipline.

Andrew J Larner MA MD DHMSA PhD FRCP(UK)

Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Department of Translational Neuroscience & Stroke, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom

Formerly Consultant Neurologist, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool, L9 7LJ, United Kingdom

The author is a retired Consultant Neurologist who spent over 30 years working in the NHS, the last 25 as a consultant in Liverpool. He has a long-standing interest in the history of medicine (DHMSA 1995) and has authored many publications related to various topics in the history of neurology, as well as serving at the Editor of the Journal of Medical Biography between 2015 and 2020.