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Wellcome Library

Psychiatry in Nigeria


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0120 GC/146

Held at: Wellcome Library

Title: Psychiatry in Nigeria

Date(s): 1907-[1964]

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 1 box

Name of creator(s): Yaba Mental Hospital x Yaba Lunatic Asylum

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

These papers on psychiatry in Nigeria were received from Dr Alexander Boroffka, who was Senior Specialist Psychiatrist in charge of Yaba Mental Hospital, Lagos, from 1961 to 1966. The Yaba Lunatic Asylum opened in Lagos, Nigeria, on 31 October 1907, taking in 8 female and 6 male patients. By 17 June 1912 there were 18 females and 17 males, and until 1949 the hospital also functioned as a leper asylum. The 'Lunatic Asylum' was renamed 'Yaba Mental Hospital' in 1960. The report book (GC/146/1) was given to him by the then Chief Nursing Officer, Mr A A Ordia, when the store of the hospital's records was cleared out in 1962. It appears to contain all the letters and reports written by the Medical Officer in charge, including reports on the leprosy patients. Dr Bruce F Home was appointed as an 'alienist' in 1927 and stayed for three tours, Oct 1927-Oct 1928, Apr 1929-Jul 1930, and Dec 1930-Aug 1931. A copy of his report of 1928 based on a tour of 25 centres of population and the results of questionnaires to Residents and Medical Officers, and the comments of the Lieutenant-Governor of the Northern Provinces, are included in this collection (GC/146/2-3).

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Letter book and reports of Yaba Lunatic and Leper Asylum, Lagos, 1907-1912; reports on mental illness and psychiatric services in Nigeria, 1928-c 1956; report on the laws and customs of the Yoruba people, c 1964.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Received in 1993 from Dr Alexander Boroffka.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions: General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Mar 2009.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Mentally ill persons | Disabled persons | Disadvantaged groups
Psychiatric hospitals | Hospitals | Health services
Yoruba (people) | African cultures | National cultures
Medical institutions
Psychiatry

Personal names

Corporate names

Places
Nigeria | West Africa | Africa