I'm working on some papers from an insanity case for a relative for an upcoming issue of Casefile Clues.
When reading the letterhead on a letter contained in the file, I came across a title I had never heard of before: Alienist.
Simply put, it's an obselete term for a doctor who dealt with mental disorders. This is fitting for a doctor who was on the board of adminstration for the Illinois State Hospitals, which concentrated on patients who had been adjudged to be insane.
The term really had nothing direct to do with my research, but was an interesting short diversion.
