An In-Depth Look at One of Psychiatry’s Darkest Chapters
Bailey’s Deep Sleep Therapy (DST) was a controversial psychiatric treatment used in Australia from the 1960s to the late 1970s. It involved sedating patients for extended periods, sometimes for several weeks, using heavy barbiturates, while also administering electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The practice was primarily conducted at Chelmsford Private Hospital in New South Wales, under the direction of psychiatrist Dr. Harry Bailey. The purpose of deep sleep therapy was to treat various mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia, and addiction, by inducing an artificial coma to “rest the brain.” However, it resulted in at least 24 deaths, countless long-term side effects, and is now considered one of the worst medical scandals in Australian history.
Origins of Bailey’s Deep Sleep Therapy
The idea of deep sleep as a treatment wasn’t new in the 20th century. Before Bailey, “narcosis therapy” or “sleep cure” had been explored in Europe, especially in treating shellshock and neuroses after World War I. The theory was that prolonged sleep would calm the nervous system and reset mental balance.
Dr. Harry Bailey adapted this idea in the 1960s after training in Europe and the United States. However, unlike earlier forms, his method was more aggressive, involving:
- Unconscious sedation for days or weeks
- High-dose barbiturates
- Multiple sessions of ECT
- Minimal patient monitoring
Who Was Dr. Harry Bailey?
Dr. Harry Bailey was an influential figure in Australian psychiatry. Born in 1922, he received medical training in Sydney and later studied in the U.S. and U.K. Upon returning to Australia, he joined Chelmsford Private Hospital, where he served as its Medical Superintendent.
Bailey was charismatic and well-connected. He portrayed DST as an advanced treatment for patients who didn’t respond to standard therapy. However, he lacked scientific backing for the practice and frequently ignored emerging evidence of its harm.
How Did DST Work?
The basic steps involved in deep sleep therapy were:
- Sedation: Patients were heavily sedated using barbiturates such as Tuinal, Sodium Amytal, or Mandrax.
- Prolonged Unconsciousness: Sedation lasted from a few days to several weeks. Some patients were unconscious for up to 39 days.
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Administered while the patient was unconscious, typically without their knowledge or consent.
- Limited Monitoring: Vital signs were poorly tracked, nutrition was minimal, and hygiene was often neglected.
- No Counseling or Rehabilitation: Patients were not provided psychological therapy during or after sedation.
This form of treatment lacked ethical approval, informed consent, and scientific justification.
What Conditions Was It Supposed to Treat?
Bailey claimed DST could treat:
- Severe depression
- Schizophrenia
- Addiction (alcohol, drugs)
- Personality disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
However, patients were often admitted for relatively mild conditions like anxiety or insomnia. Many had no idea what treatment they were agreeing to.
Outcomes and Effects
Short-Term Effects of DST:
- Physical injuries from seizures
- Malnutrition and dehydration
- Drug overdoses
- Comas
- Deaths (at least 24 confirmed)
Long-Term Effects of DST:
- Brain damage
- Memory loss
- Depression and anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress
- Suicide
Some patients required lifelong care. Families were rarely given full explanations. In many cases, death certificates misrepresented the cause of death.
Why Was DST Allowed to Continue?
The Australian psychiatric system in the 60s and 70s lacked strict oversight. Chelmsford was a private hospital, and mental health regulation was minimal. Attempts to expose the practice were delayed for years. Internal whistleblowers were often ignored.
The Chelmsford Scandal Emerges
Public attention grew in the early 1980s when investigative journalists, especially from The Sydney Morning Herald, began publishing detailed reports on patient deaths at Chelmsford. Television programs aired patient stories, sparking nationwide concern.
A formal investigation began in 1988, known as the Chelmsford Royal Commission. The commission examined:
- Medical records
- Staff testimonies
- Patient interviews
- Bailey’s personal notes
It revealed massive misconduct, including:
- Inadequate care standards
- Fake or missing consent forms
- Improper recordkeeping
- Intentional concealment of deaths
The Death of Harry Bailey
As pressure mounted, Dr. Bailey resigned. In 1985, he took his own life, leaving a suicide note that claimed he had been “crucified by the media.” He never publicly admitted wrongdoing.
His death ended his direct accountability but not the investigation.
Findings of the Royal Commission
The Chelmsford Royal Commission issued a multi-volume report between 1990 and 1991. Key findings included:
- DST was unethical and dangerous
- Many patients never gave proper consent
- Medical records were manipulated
- Oversight by medical boards was grossly insufficient
The Commission recommended:
- Better regulation of private psychiatric hospitals
- Tighter rules on ECT
- Independent medical audits
- Legal protection for whistleblowers
- Compensation for victims and families
Impact on Australian Psychiatry
The scandal led to significant reforms:
- Mental Health Acts were revised in several states
- Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) was established
- Stricter patient rights laws were introduced
- Training in medical ethics became mandatory
- Public hospitals strengthened internal review boards
Today, psychiatric treatments in Australia must follow evidence-based guidelines, and patients must provide informed, written consent.
Was DST Used Anywhere Else?
Similar sleep-based treatments were briefly explored in other countries, but none matched the scale or severity of Bailey’s program. By the late 1970s, DST was completely discredited and is now illegal in most countries.
Electroconvulsive therapy is still used today, but only:
- With strict monitoring
- Under anesthesia
- With full patient consent
- As a last resort treatment for conditions like major depression
Lessons Learned
- Medicine needs regulation: Even trained doctors can make catastrophic errors without oversight.
- Consent is critical: Patients must understand and agree to what is being done.
- Whistleblowers must be heard: Nurses, journalists, and families were ignored for years.
- Science matters: DST had no valid clinical research to support it.
- Mental health deserves dignity: The vulnerable must be treated with compassion, not experimentation.
Final Word: Why This Story Still Matters
What happened at Chelmsford wasn’t just a failure of one man. It was a systemic failure of ethics, oversight, and respect for life. Bailey’s Deep Sleep Therapy reminds us that vulnerability should never be exploited in the name of science.
Today, mental health treatments have evolved. But the only way to ensure safety is to remember stories like this and to keep asking hard questions about how we care for those who cannot always speak for themselves.
A Safer Way Forward In a world where well-being still matters, look toward healing practices that are transparent, gentle, and rooted in tradition. At DodewMart, we believe in offering natural wellness through herbal attars, essential oils, and safe self-care products because health should never come at the cost of humanity.
