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Bethlem Royal Hospital became famous and afterwards infamous for the brutal ill-treatment meted out to the insane. In 1675 Bedlam moved to new buildings in Moorfields, outside the City boundary. In the 18th century people used to go there to see the lunatics. For a penny one could peer into their cells, view the freaks of the "show of Bethlehem" and laugh at their antics. The lunatics were first called "patients" in 1700, and "curable" and "incurable" wards were opened in 1725-34. In 1815, Bedlam was moved to St George's Fields, LambethLambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in London, England. The ancient riverside village had an extensive parish, which stretched for six miles south, including the manors of Kennington and Vauxhall. The parish, and the subsequent Metropolita (into buildings now used to house the Imperial War MuseumThe original location of the Imperial War Museum was the Crystal Palace, located at the top of Sydenham Hill. The museum was founded there in 1917 to commemorate those who died during the First World War. When that building burnt down on November 30 1936). Finally, in 19301930 is the common year starting on Wednesday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 6 The first diesel-engine automobile trip is completed ( Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City). January 27 Miguel Primo de Rivera resigns January 30 G, the hospital was moved to an outer suburb of London, Eden Park near BeckenhamBeckenham is a town in London, England in the London Borough of Bromley. It was formerly in the county of Kent. It is referred to as Bacheham in the Domesday Book of 1086, and its name probably means Beohha's village (ham). The River Beck was named after, KentThis article is about the English county of Kent. See also Kent (disambiguation). Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. The county town is Maidstone. Kent has land borders with East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London, and a defined boundary wi.

Bethlem was most notably portrayed in a scene from William HogarthWilliam Hogarth ( November 10, 1697 October 26, 1764) was a major British painter, engraver, pictorial satirist, and editorial cartoonist who has been credited as a pioneer in western sequential art. His work ranged from excellent realistic portraiture to's A Rake's Progress ( 1735Events 16 April The London premiere of Alcina by George Frideric Handel, his first the first Italian opera for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. August 4 Freedom of the press: New York Weekly Journal writer John Peter Zenger is acquitted of seditiou), the story of a rich merchant's son whose immoral living causes him to end up in a ward at Bethlem. This reflects the view of the time that madness was a result of moral weakness, leading to 'moral insanity' to be used as a common diagnosis.

The word "Bedlam" has long been used for lunatic asylums in general, and later for a scene of uproar and confusion.

In another old English use of the word, "a Bedlam" (or more colloquially a "Tom O' Bedlam") signified one discharged from Bethlem Hospital and licensed to beg. Such persons wore a tin plate on their arm as a badge and were known as Bedlamers, Bedlamites, or Bedlam Beggars.