Dr. Mickle

[Roy Corduroy]

William Julius Mickle, M.D was appointed Medical Supt of Grove Hall Lunatic Asylum at Bow in 1872. Born in Canada, 1845. (Studymore.org)

This was the asylum Jacob Isenschmid was removed to in Sept 88, and Dr. Mickle refused all police entreaties to have his patient subjected to a witness ID test by Mrs. Fiddymont and her crew. Located here, above the W in Bow. Asylum closed in 1905.

In 1896 Mickle was Pres of the Medico-Psychological Assoc and on the Council of the Neurological Society. In 1901 He is listed by the Univ of London as Faculty of Medicine at St. Bart's Hospital.

Not to be confused with the 16th Century Scottish poet of the same name.

[Robert]

By an odd coincidence, he delivered the Goulstonian Lectures in 1888.

[Roy Corduroy]

Thanks, Robert

I have the right Doctor, but afraid I have the wrong asylum. Am unsure. Police reports have Isenschmidt removed to Infirmary Asylum, Fairfield Row, Bow. According to descriptions, it was across Fairfield Road from the Fairfield Works, which was the Bryant and May factory. It's very close to Grove Hall and Dr. Mickle could have easily seen patients at both.

Roy

Your help, as always is appreciated.

http://www.mappalondon.com/london/north-east/bow

[Robert]

Hi Roy

I'm no expert on this, but as far as I can tell Grove Hall Asylum and the Islington Infirmary Asylum were one and the same.

Here is some info on Grove Hall (see menu on right).

http://studymore.org.uk/3_06.htm#Grove%20Hall

Here is an obit for Mickle :

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2339877

[Roy Corduroy]

Thank you for the info, Robert.

In the obituary of Dr. Mickle you posted, he was recognized as "one of the first in this country to point out the close relationship between the incidence of general paralysis and syphilis."

From the dictionary:

general paralysis
 
–noun Pathology.
a syphilitic brain disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and degeneration of cerebral tissue resulting in mental and physical deterioration. Also called general paresis. Origin: 1890–95

So here was a physician working with mental patients at this time and place when syphilis was common, linking the disease to insanity, mental deterioration and the effect on the nervous system. This goes right to my pet theory (actually an ancient one) about the motive behind the Whitechapel murders. No, not a conspiracy. A man consorted with prostitutes. He got syphilis, it made him mad and crazy, and he took out his revenge.

Thanks again,

Roy

[Roy Corduroy]

The British Medical Journal
January 19, 1918 – Obituary - William Julius Mickle, M.D. Toronto, F.R.C.P. London

We regret to announce the death of Dr. Julius Mickle after a protracted illness. He died at Ottawa in November last at the house of his sister, Mrs. Bell, with who he lived during the last few years of his life.

Dr. Mickle was a graduate of Toronto, where he took the degree of M.D. in 1867; he had a distinguished career as a student in Canada; he then came to England, studied at St. Thomas’s Hospital, and took the diplomas of M.R.C.S. and L.S.A. in 1869. Later he became assistant physician at the Derby and the Warwick Asylums, and it was here that he first recognized the importance of syphilis in the production of organic disease of the nervous system. In 1879 he became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians; afterwards he was appointed medical superintendent of Grove Hall Asylum Bow, E.

In 1876-77 he published a paper in the British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review entitled Syphilis and Insanity. Subsequently he published a number of papers on general paralysis of the insane, and in 1886 the second edition of his work General Paralysis of the Insane appeared. It is by this book that Dr. Mickle’s name will be most remembered, for he was one of the first in ths country to point out the close relation between the incidence of general paralysis and syphilis. Evidently his work attracted considerable attention in the profession, for he was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 1887, and the following year he delivered the Goulstonian Lectures, the subject being “Insanity in Relation to Aortic and Cardiac Diseases.” In 1895 a valuable article on syphilis of the nervous system was contributed by Dr. Mickle to Brain, and not long after he was elected president of the Neurological Society. He published many other papers bearing upon mental diseases, of which he had a wide experience. For many years he lectured on mental disease at University College and at the Middlesex Hospital.

Dr. Mickle was a careful and reliable observer and he did not fail, as happens with some specialists, to see the obvious. His long association with Neurological Society (at the meeting of which he was a regular attendant) showed his bent, as an alienist physician, was to seek where possible a material cause of mental disorders. The present advance in our knowledge regarding syphilis as the sole and essential cause of general paralysis shows that Dr. Mickle was a pioneer in recognizing the association between syphilitic lesions of the aorta and general paralysis.

For a long time he took an active interest in the work of the British Medical Association. He was a member of the Parliamentary Bills Committee and the organizer and director of the work of its Lunacy Laws Subcommittee. He had a very extensive and accurate acquaintance with lunacy laws and administration, and his assistance in dealing with questions of this nature was always readily placed at the disposal of the Subcommittee and of this Journal. He was secretary of the Section of Phychology at the annual meeting in Liverpool in 1883 and vice president at Glasgow in 1888. He was president of the section at the annual meeting in London in 1895 and again at the meeting in Toronto in 1906, when he was given the Hon. LL.D of his Alma Mater.

Dr Mickle retired about ten years ago; his health failed during the last few years, and as he had no close ties in England the writer advised him to return to Canada, a few years ago, where he remained with his relations until his decease.

F. W. Mott

[Roy Corduroy]

I asked Diamond Geezer, who lives in Bow, about Grove Hall and he was kind enough to reply "I’m aftaid Grove Hall Asylum closed in 1905 and no longer stands. Brymay Close now covers the site, and Bow bus garage covers its grounds. Here"

His blog site is interesting. He goes about exploring all sorts of places, and writes about the history, with lots of photos, too.

Roy