Conolly Norman

“ Thomas was educated at Waterford, and after having been apprenticed for some time to a medical practitioner in that city studied medicine in Dublin. He became a fellow of the Irish College of Surgeons in 1845, and immediately devoted himself to teaching and to anatomical research. In 1847 he became lecturer on anatomy at a private school of medicine in Dublin, then known as 'The Original School of Medicine, Peter Street.' and he remained attached to that institution till his death. He was very popular and successful as a teacher, and was the most active and prominent man in his school. ”

“ In 1839 he was appointed resident physician to the Middlesex Asylum at Hanwell, then the largest institution of the kind in England. About a year previously he had competed unsuccessfully for the same post. Others had already laboured to introduce a humane and rational method of treating the insane. In France, Pinel was the first, in 1792 or 1793, to boldly advocate and practise the treatment of lunatics without chains and stripes. ”

“ He interested himself in every movement for the public good, was enthusiastic for ‘sanitation,’ and took much trouble, both by writing and personally, to instruct his neighbours in physiological matters usually neglected. He was more popular than reformers generally are, and till very recently many old people about Stratford recollected him with affection. His professional income, however, did not exceed 400l. per annum. In 1827 he moved to London, and in the following year was appointed professor of the practice of medicine in University College. ”

“ He inherited some of the Irish peculiarities of ardent sentimentalism and fondness for the rhetorical in expression, though these were balanced by an extensive knowledge of the world, together with a width of general culture and a steadiness of purpose. ”

“ In 1844 Conolly ceased to reside in the Hanwell Asylum, but retained medical control as visiting physician till 1852, when his connection with the institution practically ceased, though he was still consultant. At this time he lived in the village of Hanwell, where he owned a private asylum. He had a very large consulting practice in cases of mental disease. His best works belong to the later period of his life: ‘On the Construction and Government of Lunatic Asylums,’ 1847 (the most valuable and characteristic production of his pen) ”

“ Forbes was then in practice in Chichester, and the young men formed a strong and lasting friendship; but the district did not afford sufficient employment for both, and in a year's time Conolly moved again to Stratford-on-Avon. ”

“ He wrote a number of minor contributions to surgical literature, of which the most noticeable were those in which he explained the views of the French school with reference to the drainage of wounds. He was also an industrious reviewer. ”