ERO Presents: Dr Adéle Isabella de Steiger (1867-1944)

a pioneering Victorian alienist psychiatrist

Speaker: Rachael Bailey-Gibson

The history of psychiatry has long emphasised the contribution of Victorian male alienists/psychiatrists such as John Conolly (1794-1866), James Crichton-Browne (1840-1938), and Henry Maudsley (1835-1918). Yet, Dr Adèle Isabella de Steiger was one of the first female alienist psychiatrists in the country, appointed Assistant Medical Officer at the Essex Lunatic Asylum [Warley Hospital] in March 1896. She was also the first female doctor of the Medico-Psychological Association, the predecessor of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. By the end of her career, she was Medical Superintendent in all but name on the crowded female wards and performed post-mortems on both female and male cadavers. Yet, her contribution to psychiatry has been entirely overlooked – until now.

This talk explores Dr de Steiger’s life and career, from her childhood to her training at the London School of Medicine for Women, where she was supervised by Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917), the first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon. I will also discuss her appointment and her twenty-five years of work at Essex Asylum, until her retirement in 1921. Dr de Steiger’s commonplace book from 1893, lent to me by her great-nephew, will also be examined. This rare source offers insight into her personal thoughts, influences, and motivations, bringing her fascinating work to life. Additionally, the extensive archive at ERO has provided a deeper understanding of patient treatment and care in asylums, as well as how and why psychiatry evolved towards the end of the long nineteenth century.

Rachael Bailey-Gibson is a Future 100 Centenary Scholarship Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Leicester. She is in the final year of her PhD programme. Her thesis, supervised by Dr Claire Wood and Professor Claire Brock, is titled ‘Remote Benevolent Despots? The English Alienist Psychiatrist.’ She is also Honorary Membership Secretary for the Friends of Historic Essex, who support the work of the ERO.