Linda Keith, the British model who once inspired Keith Richards’ hit song Ruby Tuesday, has recently shared the terrifying details of her time under the care of Dr. William Sargant, a notorious psychiatrist from the Sixties.
Known for his controversial methods, Dr. Sargant’s treatment of women at London’s Royal Waterloo Hospital has long been a subject of dark rumors.
Now, Linda and other former patients are shedding light on the abuse they suffered at his hands.
Dr. William Sargant: A Man of Influence with Dark Practices
Dr. William Sargant was a psychiatrist who gained fame for his radical approaches to treating mental illness.
He believed that psychological diseases could be cured through physical treatments such as deep-sleep therapy, narcosis, and even lobotomies.
His unorthodox practices made him a powerful figure within the medical community, with connections to MI5 and the CIA.
However, his power extended beyond his medical influence—Sargant was notorious for using his position to exploit and abuse vulnerable women, often under the guise of “reprogramming” their minds.
The Sleep Room: A Place of Horror
One of Sargant’s most infamous methods was his creation of “The Sleep Room” at St. Thomas’ Hospital.
This small, dark room, which Linda Keith was admitted to at the age of 23, was a place where patients—often women suffering from anxiety, depression, anorexia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder—were kept in a state of induced sleep for long periods, sometimes up to five months.
These patients were given a powerful cocktail of sedatives, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotics, leaving them vulnerable to a range of horrors.
Linda recalls that she has no memories of the six weeks she spent in the Sleep Room, only that she didn’t wake up during that time.
“All I know is that I didn’t wake up for six weeks,” she said.
The atmosphere in the room was described as eerie, with up to eight patients crammed together, their moans the only sound in the otherwise silent space.
A Trail of Psychological Damage
The impact of Dr. Sargant’s treatments was devastating.
Linda, like many other women, suffered extensive mental and physical damage from repeated electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and other methods.
She estimates that she received ECT nearly 50 times while unconscious, a procedure involving electric shocks meant to induce seizures.
“It left me hugely mentally incapacitated,” Linda explained, adding that she could no longer do basic things like dress herself or read.
“It was as if my brain and personality were dead.”
Even after her time in the Sleep Room, Linda’s encounters with Sargant continued to haunt her.
She recalls a chilling moment during a follow-up appointment at his Harley Street clinic, where he made inappropriate advances toward her.
“I called him a monster—to his face,” Linda said, a response that left her feeling empowered but also disturbed by the doctor’s behavior.
Celia Imrie: A Fellow Victim Shares Her Story
Celia Imrie, the renowned actress known for Calendar Girls and Mamma Mia!, was also among Sargant’s victims.
At just 14 years old, Celia was sent to ward five at St. Thomas’ Hospital to treat her anorexia.
Though she can’t remember receiving ECT herself, she vividly recalls the horrors of witnessing others undergo shock therapy.
The sight of one fellow patient receiving the treatment, coupled with the smell of burning flesh and hair, remains burned into Celia’s memory.
Celia described the experience as akin to being in a “prison camp,” and the trauma she endured continues to affect her, even six decades later.
“I still see his face so clearly; his ape-like features,” she admitted.
The psychological toll of her time with Dr. Sargant is something she continues to grapple with, often descending into despair for no apparent reason.
The Abuse of Power and Unethical Practices
Both Linda and Celia’s stories contribute to a larger narrative of exploitation and abuse carried out under the guise of medical treatment.
Dr. Sargant’s methods were not only ethically questionable but also dangerous, leaving a trail of broken lives in his wake.
He used his position to manipulate vulnerable women, some of whom came from troubled backgrounds, making them easy targets for his experiments.
Author Jon Stock’s book The Sleep Room: A Very British Medical Scandal delves into the darker aspects of Sargant’s practices, painting a chilling portrait of a man who, despite his powerful connections, inflicted lasting harm on his patients.
Sargant’s behavior was not only limited to his professional life—he also reportedly hosted wild wife-swapping parties outside of the hospital, adding to the growing list of his unethical actions.
Lasting Trauma and a Legacy of Horror
The scars left by Sargant’s treatment are not easily erased.
Linda and Celia, along with other survivors, have come forward to share their stories, offering a glimpse into the horrors they endured.
Their accounts challenge the medical community’s view of psychiatry during that era and force us to confront the dark side of psychiatric practices.
As Linda Keith poignantly remarked, “Some people think I’m a marvelous doctor, others think I’m the work of the devil.”
The truth lies somewhere in between, in the lives shattered by his cruelty and the lasting impact of his so-called treatments.
Through these revelations, we are reminded of the importance of ethical medical practices and the responsibility that comes with the trust patients place in their doctors.
Dr. Sargant’s actions serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked power in the hands of those entrusted with our well-being.