William Williams (2427)

Admission Details for Patient: William Williams (2427)

Gender: Male Age: 51
Marital Status: Single Religion: Independent
Occupation: Quarryman
Address: Llandegai, Carnarvonshire

Date of Admission: February 20, 1875
Date of Death: February 11, 1879
Cause of Death: Epilepsy

Disease: Imbecility with epilepsy
Supposed Cause: Unknown

Medical Certificate:
His peculiar doltish appearance, inattentive to his duties and at times answering questions quite inaccurately and even not knowing his brother. By his sister C. Morgan: Threatening to murder his mother. By William Hughes and John Davies, Lodgers: Threatening to strike them without any provocation. Hugh Hughes, Bethesda.

Approximate duration of present attack: 35 years

Number of Previous Attacks: 999

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 0

Total Number of Admissions: 1

Relatives affected:

Number of Previous Attacks: 999

Epileptic: Yes

Suicidal: No

Dangerous: Yes

Clean Habit: No

Food Refusal: No

Sleep Habit: Bad

Destructive Habit: Strikes others without provocation

Disposition:

Education:

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Feeble health. Rather emaciated. Tongue slightly furred. Eats fairly. Bowels inclined to be costive. Weak minded, memory gone, silly appearance.

Current Diagnosis: Epilepsy

Case Notes

1875 Mar 18 - Has had several severe fits since his admission and after recovering from them is very morose and evil tempered.

Until within the last ten days he was not very unmanageable but has since been frequently quarrelling, receiving some cuts on the face and a black eye. This seems to have been the precursor of his present condition which is that of incoherence and fatuity. He is not able to answer questions asked him and has quite lost his memory.

He is now suffering from Pleurisy with Effusion into the right side of his chest.

Treatment - Emp.(lastrum) Lytta (‘Spanish Fly’) regione infra scap.(ulae) (to cause blistering), Potass. Iodid.

Mar 25 - Is considerably worse.

Has frequent attacks of epilepsy.

Confined to bed.

Physical signs the same, blister healing nicely, very violent, sleeps fairly. Treatment the same.

Apr 5 - Still confined to bed.

Physical signs of effusion not so strongly marked though considerable dullness and bronchophony still remain. Mental condition worse, very incoherent. Not so violent.

Has soiled his bed once.

Medicine discontinued.

Apr 12 - Has greatly improved in his general health and today left his bed greatly emaciated and enfeebled by his illness. He is more violent and dangerous than ever and unless he had been prevented in time would yesterday have struck Dr. Williams. Quite incoherent in his conversation and memory almost completely gone.

Fancied himself today at some place in the country.

Wets his bed occasionally but sleeps and eats his food well.

May 4 - General health much improved. Fits not quite so frequent. Not so violent and excited.

1876 Feb 9 - Has been very much the same, having fits occasionally and being very quarrelsome. Yesterday he had a fight with another Epileptic Thos. Lea but was separated by Att. Thos. Foulkes.

But while he was being removed from Lea he kicked the latter in the abdomen, not severely, however Lea suffered a rupture of the ileum from which he died this morning.

Patient is clean in his habits and in moderate health. Sits in Refractory Ward.

1877 - No improvement.

1878 Feb 26 - Very violent and quarrelsome when the epilepsy recurs.

July 13 - Has been much the same till the last few days. Has suffered from diarrhoea with increased number of fits, destroying all his clothing.

Nov 15 - becoming more demented from the epilepsy.

1879 Jan 21 - Is confined to bed having very severe fits, tearing clothes etc. Jan 26 - He is gradually running down.

Feb 3 - Lying almost helpless in bed with the epilepsy, is frequently purged.

Feb 6 - The fits still recur leaving him more and more feeble.

Feb 11 - Gradually became worse and today at the end of a fit breathed his last.

Medications/Treatments: Empl. Lytta (Spanish Fly) Potass. Iodid.

Additional Notes

Kicked another patient who later died from the injury.