In article , says...

In article , wrote:
Janet wrote:
Speaking of the Merkins, you're not allowed to call them lunatics any more.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17997413

(it's even more bizarre sounding on reading the article than it first
appears, imho)

Not so different from campaigns here to eliminate the use of misleading
and/or stigmatising terms like mongol, spastic, split personality, manic
depression.

I was .. surprised to find it actually /ever/ had a mention in Federal law,
let alone still did. I couldn't see the context, but I didn't study the
article thoroughly, it may have had further references that I didn't see..

I am not, and should be pretty flabberghasted if it were not used
in some English statute law or binding precedent.

Lots. right up until 1948.

The General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy for Scotland continued to
use that name until 1913.

Westminster passed the Lunacy Act 1890, Lunacy Act 1911, and

Mental Deficiency Act 1913

the 1913 Act defined "Institution for lunatics", as "the same meaning
as in the Lunacy Acts". It also defined the classifications of "idiots:
imbeciles: feeble-minded people: and moral defectives ".

There was a Royal Commission on Lunacy and Mental Disorder, in 1924.

The term Criminal Lunatic existed in law (referring to inmates of
Broadmoor) until the Criminal Justice Act 1948, which declared

"Discontinuance of terms "criminal lunatic" and "criminal lunatic
asylum. Asylums and places appointed under section one of the Criminal
Lunatic Asylums Act, i860, shall be called and are in this Act referred to
as " Broadmoor institutions "; and accordingly for references to criminal
lunatic asylums (by whatever name called) in any enactment there shall be
substituted references to Broadmoor institutions.

(2)The expression " criminal lunatic " shall cease to be used; and there
shall be substituted for it wherever it occurs in any enactment the
expression?Broadmoor patient.?

Janet.