Resumen de El impacto de la Beneficiencia en la gestión, tratamiento y cuidado de los dementes alcalaínos en el XIX.

Carlos Aguilera Serrano, Carmen Heredia Pareja, Antonio Heredia Rufián

• español

  During the 19th century, in Spain, different laws and orders for the establishment and organization of the Charity Public took place, being the public authorities who were to exercise social charity to the most vulnerable. In this context, further influenced by the emergence of Moral Treatment, a new philosophical and action concept was activated in management, treatment and care for the mentally ill, considered then insane and/or madness. Health care placed a greater emphasis on occupational activity as therapy, as well as improving healthiness and hygienic conditions. However, many factors made it impossible to consummate change, leading to the emergence of new asylum institutions with a marked asylating and custodial character.

  The aim of this historical study is to try to know the situation in health care to the demented of Alcalá la Real (Jaén) of the time. In the sources used, two fundamental pillars stand out in our study: the Municipal Archive of Alcalá la Real and the Archive of the Provincial Council of Granada. Fromthe data collected it is outlinedhowin the first two decades of the second half of the nineteenth century the madmen alcalaínos were transferred to the Hospital of Madness of Granada, section of the Royal Hospital. The absence of a hospital for these patients in Jaén justified such transfers.

  The latter were accompanied by a long bureaucratic process that began on the Municipal Board of Charity and ended with the approval of the governor of Jaén.

• español

  RESUMEN Durante el siglo XIX, en España, se produjo la promulgación de distintas normas y órdenes para el establecimiento y organización de la Beneficencia Pública, siendo los poderes públicos quienes debían ejercer la caridad social hacia los más vulnerables. En este contexto, influenciado además por el surgir del Tratamiento Moral, se activó una nueva concepción filosófica y de acción en la gestión, tratamiento y cuidados hacia los enfermos mentales, considerados por entonces locos y/o dementes. La asistencia sanitaria puso un mayor énfasis sobre la actividad ocupacional como terapia, así como también en la mejora de las condiciones de salubridad e higiene. No obstante, muchos fueron los factores que imposibilitaron la consumación del cambio, dando lugar al emerger de las nuevas instituciones manicomiales, con un marcado carácter asilar y custodial.El objetivo del presente estudio histórico es tratar de conocer la situación en la asistencia sanitaria a los dementes de Alcalá la Real (Jaén) de la época. En las fuentes utilizadas destacan dos pilares fundamentales en nuestro estudio: el Archivo Municipal de Alcalá la Real y el Archivo de la Diputación Provincial de Granada. De los datos recogidos se reseña como en las dos primeras décadas de la segunda mitad del XIX los locos alcalaínos eran trasladados al Hospital de Dementes de Granada, sección del Hospital Real. La inexistencia de un hospital para estos enfermos en Jaén justificaba dichos traslados. Estos últimos iban acompañados de un largo proceso burocrático que se iniciaba en la Junta Municipal de Beneficencia y acababa con el visto bueno del gobernador de Jaén.Palabras clave: Historiografía; Psiquiatría; Siglo XIX; Dementes; Beneficiencia; Cuidados de enfermería. The impact of Charity Policy in the management, treatment and care of the alcalainos in the XIX. ABSTRACTDuring the 19th century, in Spain, different laws and orders for the establishment and organization of the Charity Public took place, being the public authorities who were to exercise social charity to the most vulnerable. In this context, further influenced by the emergence of Moral Treatment, a new philosophical and action concept was activated in management, treatment and care for the mentally ill, considered then insane and/or madness. Health care placed a greater emphasis on occupational activity as therapy, as well as improving healthiness and hygienic conditions. However, many factors made it impossible to consummate change, leading to the emergence of new asylum institutions with a marked asylating and custodial character.The aim of this historical study is to try to know the situation in health care to the demented of Alcalá la Real (Jaén) of the time. In the sources used, two fundamental pillars stand out in our study: the Municipal Archive of Alcalá la Real and the Archive of the Provincial Council of Granada. From the data collected it is outlined how in the first two decades of the second half of the nineteenth century the madmen alcalaínos were transferred to the Hospital of Madness of Granada, section of the Royal Hospital. The absence of a hospital for these patients in Jaén justified such transfers. The latter were accompanied by a long bureaucratic process that began on the Municipal Board of Charity and ended with the approval of the governor of Jaén.Key Word: Historiography; Psychiatry; History, 19th Century; Madness; Charity Policy; Nursing care.