Why Did The British Use Of Mental Health

During the late to mid-1900s, India began to accept many British policies. Indian medical officials started to work with British psychiatrists to continue research on mental health. They implemented special Western therapies and measures that were considered modern and revolutionary at the time. For instance, they took “prophylactic measures against cholera and smallpox” and used hydrotherapy to cure almost all the cases of mental health.15 One doctor reported using Electric Convulsion Therapy (ETC) to cure new forms of mental health: “A variety of cases were subjected to this treatment including one case of severe anxiety state which showed complete freedom from all symptoms with only a short treatment.”15 Using the information and resources that they observed in previous years, Indians took charge of some aspect of their health. They embraced medical specialization to ensure the safety of their patients.
During this time, the British had brought drugs for psychiatric conditions. Under the guidance of British officials, Indian medical doctors would implement specific doses of cardiazol or chloral hydrate.15 They monitored the progress of patients taking these drugs as well as their regimen. In one report, an Indian medical researcher wrote, “Four cases [of acute mania] were treated by cardiazol, of these 1 was discharged as cured and 1 showed improvement but relapsed.”15 The introduction of drug therapy by the British was mainly aimed at controlling patient behavior and allowing the patient some soothing relief through sleep.11 Indians were now able to implement western medicine and monitor the effects of it on certain mental