CRICHTON BROWNE, James (1840-1938), editor. The West Riding Lunatic Asylum: Medical Reports. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. (vols 1-5) and J. & A. Churchill; (vol. 6), 1871-1876.

The first neuroscientific journal. Scarce complete first edition set. James Crichton-Browne was a pioneer against the then pervasive presumption that no original research or useful scientific contributions could come out of mental health institutions. Writing in the Preface to the first volume, he outlines the "vindictive" attacks against public psychiatric hospitals and the false assumption that “the medical officers of these establishments are so absorbed in general or fiscal management, in farming or in devising ill-judged amusements for their charges, that they have no time not energy left to devote to professional research” (p.iii). Thus, by orchestrating the reports that formed the early volumes of The West Riding Lunatic Asylum, Crichton-Browne formed what has been called the world’s first journal on neuroscientific research—preceding the more international journal Brain by nearly a decade. (Larner, "The West Riding Lunatic Asylum Medical Reports: the precursor of Brain?", Brain, 2023). Papers published in the journal before the end of its final volume in 1876 includes works by David Ferrier and John Hughlings Jackson. The sixth volume was co-edited by Herbert C. Major.

Six volumes, octavo (201 x 103mm). 17 chromolithographs, 1 mounted photograph, 1 autotype photographic plate, numerous in-text illustrations (occasional offsetting and light foxing). Modern quarter calf, morocco spine labels. Provenance: Brian C. Davies (bookplate).