- ISSN: 0007-1250 (Print), 1472-1465 (Online)
- Frequency: 12 issues per year
The British Journal of Psychiatry (BJPsych) is a leading international peer-reviewed journal, covering all branches of psychiatry with a particular emphasis on the clinical aspects of each topic. Published monthly on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the journal is committed to improving the prevention, investigation, diagnosis, treatment, and care of mental illness, as well as the promotion of mental health globally. In addition to authoritative original research articles from around the world, the journal publishes editorials, review articles, commentaries on contentious articles, a comprehensive book review section and a lively, well-informed correspondence column. BJPsych is essential reading for psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and all professionals with an interest in mental health.
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The British Journal of Psychiatry was originally founded in 1853 as the Asylum Journal and was known as the Journal of Mental Science from 1858 to 1963. The complete archive of contents between 1855 and 2000 has been digitised.
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Focus
The British Journal of Psychiatry (BJPsych) is a leading international peer-reviewed journal, covering all branches of psychiatry with a particular emphasis on the clinical aspects of each topic.
Mission
The journal is committed to improving the prevention, investigation, diagnosis, treatment, and care of mental illness, as well as the promotion of mental health globally.
Audience
The journal is essential reading for psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and all professionals with an interest in mental health. The print version of BJPsych is sent to all members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which includes most psychiatrists working in the UK. There is also a substantial international subscriber base.
Ownership & Management
The journal is owned and managed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and published monthly by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the College. The College grants editorial freedom and independence to the Editor-in-Chief of BJPsych.
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Both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Cambridge University Press are not-for-profit organisations, committed to fulfilling their respective objectives of securing the best outcomes for people with mental illness, learning difficulties and developmental disorders and advancing learning, knowledge and research worldwide .
BJPsych receives revenue to ensure we can maintain the highest publishing quality and standards. Revenue sources include: individual and institutional subscriptions; advertising; sales of reprints, rights and royalties; and open access fees. For details on how we avoid charging subscribers for content that has been made Open Access through the payment of an Article Processing Charge ('double dipping'), please see our transparent pricing policy. Please find information about our advertising procedures and guidelines here .
Press and Embargoes
Upon acceptance, BJPsych articles may be selected for press release by the author's institution, the RCPsych media team (press@rcpsych.ac.uk), or CUP media team (societymarketing@cambridge.org). The press release will be distributed under strict embargo, usually with advance access to the full article. Those registered to receive our press releases understand that the embargo is a strict one, and that no information about the article can be published or broadcast until the embargo has lifted. Journalists can contact the authors for comment or further details before the embargo date.
Disclaimer
BJPsych is not responsible for statements made by contributors. Unless so stated, material in this journal does not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor-in-Chief or the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The publishers are not responsible for any error of omission or fact.
- On the cover
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Cover picture Portrait of George L. by John Miles
This picture is taken from a series of portraits of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, undertaken in the 1880s by John Miles. These portraits are of interest for several reasons. They are an example of patient art, only a small portion of which has survived from 19th century asylums. In addition, John Miles was both a professional artist and a patient at the Morningside institution. His portraits provide an insight into the patients' world: their appearance, demeanour, posture, clothing and their surroundings in the asylum. It is not clear how Miles's pictures came to be made. The portraits all have clinical information appended which suggests that asylum doctors were involved in the process at some point. Were the portraits produced for educational purposes? They were too small, being postcard-sized, to be used in lectures, but perhaps they were intended to illustrate a textbook of mental diseases, or as a visual record of the patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. This portrait is of George L., who was admitted to the REA on the July 22nd 1867. He was single and of no occupation. No age was given. His diagnosis was “Epileptic Imbecility”. The Asylum doctor wrote that the patient: “Has been insane all his life”. He was considered suicidal and dangerous. His brother reported that George had always been of weak mind and that he had been epileptic for the last 8 years, being violent and excitable after his fits. The case notes recorded: He is fond of music, & constantly plays on the violin – before an epileptic seizure he breaks everything within reach his violin included. When well he is very good natured.
He continued to have fits and became progressively enfeebled. Latterly he was unable to work in the Asylum. He died in 1893 of “Epilepsy – 34 years. Pneumonia 3 days”. John Miles, himself, was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 21st May 1881, suffering from “melancholy”. He was then 59 years old, married and described as a “Portrait Painter”. On October 16th 1882 he was discharged “Recovered”.
Picture credit: Lothian Health Services Archive. GD 16.
George L. case notes: LHB7 51 18. p. 349. John Miles case notes: LHB7/51/38. p.157.
Beveridge A, Cunynghame D. “A bruised reed shall he not break”: John Miles's portraits of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2021: 51: 298-301; 414-421.
I am grateful to Dr Louise Williams, Archivist, Lothian Health Services Archive, Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library for her help and for giving permission to use this image.
We are always looking for interesting and visually appealing images for the cover of the Journal and would welcome suggestions or pictures, which should be sent to Dr Allan Beveridge, British Journal of Psychiatry, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB, UK or bjp@rcpsych.ac.uk.