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ELLIS, William Charles (1780-1839)

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Metadata

Born: 1780

Died: 1839

Title: Sir

Postnominals: MRCS

Editorial Description

1800, MD St. Andrews 1818; self-taught alienist; son of Rev. William Ellis of Lon- Don; apprenticed to a surgeon in Hull, he became an apothecary there before becoming Resident Supt of the West Riding of Yorkshire Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Wakefield, 1818-30, and then resident med supt of the Hanwell Asylum, 1831-38; owner of Southall Park Asylum, 1838-39; noted for his humane efforts on behalf of the insane, in 1835 he was the first alienist to be knighted; his A Treatise on the Nature, Symp toms, Causes and Treatment of Insanity (1838) appeared in a French translation with notes by Esquirol in 1840; gave evidence before the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the extent, causes and consequences of the prevailing vice of intoxication among the labouring classes (1834); converted to Methodism and became a lay preacher while at Hull; established a phren soc while at Wakefield and claimed to apply the principles of phrenology to the treatment of the insane and to measure each of his patients heads; supplied testimonials on phrenology to G. COMBE and G. MACKENZIE. In 1829 CHENEVIX convinced him of the truth of mesmerism by conducting experiments on the patients at Wakefield. (ZOIST, 1 [1843]: 73; Harriet W. Ellis, 'Our Doctor', Memorials of Sir William Chas. Ellis, M.D. [1868]; G. COMBE, Biography of A. Combe: 230-31; Testimonials to Combe, 1836; CHENEVIX, 1828.) Encephalology,

Editorial Information

373. ELLIS, Sir William Charles (1780-1839), MRCS 1800, MD St.
Andrews 1818; self-taught alienist; son of Rev. William Ellis of Lon-
Don; apprenticed to a surgeon in Hull, he became an apothecary there
before becoming Resident Supt of the West Riding of Yorkshire Pauper
Lunatic Asylum, Wakefield, 1818-30, and then resident med supt of the
Hanwell Asylum, 1831-38; owner of Southall Park Asylum, 1838-39;
noted for his humane efforts on behalf of the insane, in 1835 he was
the first alienist to be knighted; his A Treatise on the Nature, Symp
toms, Causes and Treatment of Insanity (1838) appeared in a French
translation with notes by Esquirol in 1840; gave evidence before the
Select Committee appointed to inquire into the extent, causes and
consequences of the prevailing vice of intoxication among the labouring classes (1834); converted to Methodism and became a lay preacher
while at Hull; established a phren soc while at Wakefield and claimed
to apply the principles of phrenology to the treatment of the insane
and to measure each of his patients heads; supplied testimonials on
phrenology to G. COMBE and G. MACKENZIE. In 1829 CHENEVIX


convinced him of the truth of mesmerism by conducting experiments
on the patients at Wakefield. (ZOIST, 1 [1843]: 73; Harriet W.
Ellis, 'Our Doctor', Memorials of Sir William Chas. Ellis, M.D. [1868];
G. COMBE, Biography of A. Combe: 230-31; Testimonials to Combe,
1836; CHENEVIX, 1828.)
Encephalology,