Changes from Trial
After the trial, hanging, and autopsy of Charles Guiteau, people not only began to rethink the definition of insanity but mental conditions collectively. Mental illness began to take strides that were unprecedented prior. It was traditionally thought that mental illness was a product of a physical ailment and the goal is to restore the patient to a certain level of physical health. This began to be tested and shortly transitioned to a more modern approach to mental health. This led to new therapies and a more human approach to treating mental illness.
One example of this would be the phycologist, William James. Who changed the approach towards mentally ill patients; who emphasized treating patients with kindness and respect, and promoting social interaction and mental stimulation, instead of dissecting and distorting the patient.1
1Goodman, Russell. 2017. “William James (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).” Stanford.edu. 2017. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/.