Mad Yankees

Mad Yankees explores the significant shift in public perception and medical treatment of mental illness with the rise of insane asylums in the nineteenth century. It chronicles the history of the Hartford Retreat for the Insane, one of the earliest such institutions in the United States, founded in 1824. The book highlights the pioneering physicians associated with the retreat, such as Dr. Eli Todd, who championed a 'law of kindness' and 'moral' treatment, positioning Connecticut at the forefront of mental healthcare.