Anne Hughes (2462)

Admission Details for Patient: Anne Hughes (2462)

Gender: Female Age: 56
Marital Status: Married Religion: Church of England
Occupation: Laundress
Address: Llysfaen, Carnarvonshire

Date of Admission: June 4, 1875
Date of Discharge: September 22, 1875
Discharge Category: Recovered

Disease: Recurrent mania
Supposed Cause: Loss of money

Medical Certificate:
She labours under delusions and states that the bread and groceries and are all poisoned and at the same time she does not refrain from taking them for her own and others' use. Has taken aversions to her own relations and without any cause states that her daughter has been sent to jail and that she deserves it. She goes on her knees and assumes a perfect statuary position. Will sometimes get very wild, talkative and nonsensical. Has returned groceries which she had bought to the shop stating that they were poisoned. Communicated by Mrs Jane Frazer, Grocer, the Post Office, Llysfaen, who denies such. Her daughter has not been sent to jail. She dares not go home and is a very well behaved and deserving person. Communicated by the Revd. S. Evans, Rector of Llysfaen.

Approximate duration of present attack: 3 weeks

Number of Previous Attacks: 999

Number of Previous Admissions: 2

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 11

Total Number of Admissions: 14

Relatives affected:

Number of Previous Attacks: 999

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: No

Dangerous: No

Clean Habit:

Food Refusal:

Sleep Habit:

Destructive Habit:

Disposition: Sober and industrious

Education:

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Severely bruised over body and limbs. Middle sized, emaciated, muscles flabby. Seriously excited on admission shouting and singing snatches of songs. Swearing and using filthy language and jumping about and dancing etc. She was only discharged from the asylum last January after having been here about 13 weeks.* The original exciting cause appears to have been loss of money, her husband having stood bail for someone which he had to pay. Quite incoherent and calling everyone the devil. She seemed quite aware that she was in the Asylum and the Relieving Officer had great trouble bringing her in as she struggled very much. Recognised the attendants and several of the patients. Was placed in single room in No. 4 and a Chloral draught was given her.

Current Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder (F31)

Case Notes

1975 June 5 - Was noisy during the night. Shouting and knocking at the door. Very excited. That she was being poisoned. Using bad language etc.

Takes food freely.

Rep. Haust Chloral.

June 6 - Much quieter during the night. Still excited during the day. Rep. Haust. June 7 - Still using bad language and rather excited. June 8 - Restless during the night. Rep. Haust.

June 9 - States that last night when getting up to open the window because it was so hot she was thrown down by the devil and severely sprained her wrist.

The devil proved to be Mary Owen, Holyhead.

Applied a front and back splint and bandage.

Draught at bedtime. June 11 - Gradually getting quieter.

June 18 - Still excited and garrulous. Wrist still in splints.

Night draught frequently necessary.

June 25 - No improvement.

Excited and noisy frequently but is quiet during the night. Has delusions, says that we want to kill her. Eats well.

Wrist very weak, possibly an impacted fracture.

July 5 - Considerably better on the whole.

Bandaged wrist and applied Belladonna strapping.

Removed today to No. 3 where she is manageable and fairly industrious.

July 28 - Greatly improved.

Quiet and natural in manner.

Has been since last fortnight in the kitchen where she is very well behaved and useful.

Aug 20 - Continues to improve daily and has nearly recovered.

At work daily where she is very useful.

No delusions. Will be discharged if she continues well at the September Committee.

Medications/Treatments: Haust Chloral, Belladonna strapping (for injured wrist)

Additional Notes

Ann Hughes had been admitted to the Asylum twice before, the first time in 1873 where the suggested cause was ‘pecuniary matters’.

The records suggest this was not her first attack.

Readmissions:

20th October 1876 (no. 2622). Medical Certificate reads:

Her excited and violent appearance continually talking to herself and supposed companions.

She is under a false impression that persons now in her house are red devils.

She was very violent one night, shouting and wanting to run away.

By Revd Samuel Evans, the Rector of Llysfaen. Thomas Davies, LRCP, MRCS, Colwyn Bay. Diagnosed ‘mania’ and discharged recovered 20th April 1877.

15th November 1877 (no. 2730).

Medical Certificate reads: She dances about the house, talks about Arsenic poison in a very ridiculous manner, shouts and sings, she looks wild and is very talkative.

She has become quite unmanageable and wants to ramble about the place which makes her husband feel uneasy with regard to her safety.

By Robert Hughes, Bronllan, Llysfaen, her husband.

Thomas Davies, MRCS, LRCP, Colwyn Bay.

Diagnosed ‘acute mania’ and discharged recovered 18th June 1878.

9th December 1879 (no. 2836).

Medical Certificate reads: Her wild appearance and manner when spoken to and not answering to the point but wandering to other subjects such as raking up old incidents, reciting Welsh hymns.

Charging her husband with the murder of known persons and animals and birds.

For the last six to seven weeks she has been a wandering lunatic.

Has been to Conway, Denbigh, Rhyl and other places. Is in the habit of scolding and raving at everyone near her.

Thomas Davies, LRCP Edin, LCS, Colwyn Bay. Diagnosed ‘acute mania’ and discharged recovered 19th September 1879.

22nd March 1880 (no 2956). Medical Certificate reads:

(1) Is incessantly talking incoherently and when spoken to keeps repeating the same answers to all questions of whatever nature. (2) Reviles everybody spoken of or alluded to.

(3) She is very excitable and strange in her manner. (4) Said she had not tasted food since Friday last until today which is not the case. (5) While taking food said she could not proceed because the house was full of devils.

Diagnosed ‘mania’ and discharged recovered 22nd December 1880.

(noted on this admission to be housekeeper to Rev. Jones at Llysfaen).

22nd February 1882 (no. 3242). Medical Certificate reads: I. Delusions (a) that she is being bewitched, saying that she found a cork with a pin sticking in it behind the dresser. II. From Susan Evans, Bronllau, Llysfaen: as to delusions (a) says that all people are thieves (b) says that her son in law tried three times to enter her house on the night of Sunday last, which he did not do or attempt.

Thomas Davies, LRCP Edin. Diagnosed ‘mania’ and discharged recovered 18th October 1882.

20th October 1883 (no. 3427). Medical Certificate reads: I. She says she remembers incidents happening before she was born and then went on into a rambling and incoherent conversation. II. Susannah Evans, Bonllan, Llysfaen, says that she is boisterous in her talk, threatened to kill her by cutting her head off with a hook and came to her door with a hook for the purpose, also tried to do the same to children while they went from school last Tuesday afternoon; also on two mornings in succession she tried to pollute a neighbour's drinking water with urine and excreta. Thos. Davies. LRCP Ed MRCS, Colwyn Bay. Diagnosed ‘mania’ and discharged recovered on 23rd July 1884

11th March 1885 (no. 3585). Medical Certificate reads: I. Perversion of Scripture quotations; excessive talkativeness; peculiarity of conduct generally; restlessness. II. Anne Hughes, her daughter-in-law, of Bryngolau, Llysfaen, says she is most abusive in her general conduct towards all in the house. Inability to sleep from restlessness and trouble of mind. Thomas Davies, LRCPh Edin and MRCS Eng, Colwyn Bay.

Diagnosed ‘mania (recurrent)’ and discharged recovered on 24th October 1885.

24th November 1886 (no. 3775). Medical Certificate reads: I. Great restlessness and depression of mind. Almost total sleeplessness. Abstaining from taking nourishment. II. Communicated to me by her Son, Henry Hughes: She will not keep in bed at night.

Has a great tendency to wander about. Was one night found about a mile from home and when asked where she was going stated she was going to the sea. Price Morris, Physician and Surgeon, Old Colwyn.

Diagnosed ‘melancholia’ and discharged recovered 20th July 1887.

2nd May 1888 (no. 3954). Medical Certificate reads: I. Very despondent. Exceedingly restless, wants continually to go away.

Is suffering from sleeplessness.

II. Communicated by her son and daughter in law, with whom she resides:

(I) Is very restless at night and unless her son and his wife are on the alert, she will be off.

(2) They are anxious for fear she may do something to herself having exhibited tendencies in that way. Price Morris LRCP Edin. Old Colwyn. Diagnosed ‘melancholia’ and discharged recovered 27th December 1888.

20th February 1890 (4160). Medical Certificate reads:

I. She will not reply to questions addressed to her. She will not take food, is restless, wanting continually to be going out.

Her expression is that of a dazed person, with her hair hanging down, and which she is constantly pulling at. II. Other facts indicating Insanity communicated to me by her son, Henry: That he has been obliged to leave his work for a few days to look after her, she being so restless day and night. She does not sleep and will not take food.

Price Morris, LRCP Edin. Old Colwyn.

Diagnosed ‘melancholia’ and discharged recovered 29th December 1890.

9th March 1892 (no 4429). Medical Certificate reads: I. Very depressed and despondent. States she cannot sleep at night and is restless and inclined to get up and wander about. II. Henry Hughes, her son, tells me that the person Ann Hughes is despondent, restless and that they cannot control her and that she must be removed to some place of control. Price Morris, Old Colwyn.

Diagnosed ‘melancholia’ Anne remained in hospital until her death from Pulmonary Congestion on 28th October 1901.