Dr. Avni Mahmud and the teaching of mental disease in Turkey

Mental illness and insanity, as distinct from other departments of medicine occupy a special place with their mental aspect and their effect on the conscious consequent, treatment methods before and during middle ages were mainly based on superstition. Here in Turkey, a modern clinic of mental illness and neuropathy was put into the first by Dr. Mongeri. Dr. Avni Mahmud graduated from civilian medical school in 1880 and in 1882 he started as a physician at Toptaşi Asylum. His father Mahund Efendi, was an army physician. Dr. Avni Mahmud became the director of Toptaşi Asylum in 1909 until his death. Dr. Avni Mahmud, who had no special training on mental illness acquired his knowledge and experience here; studying basic works on this subject, he wrote a book titled Muhtasar Emraz-i Akliye, which is thought to be the first of its kind. Dr. Avni Mahmud spent all his effort, with limited means, to make Toptaşi Asylum an orderly and good hospital in his time.