Ellen Thomas (2453)

Admission Details for Patient: Ellen Thomas (2453)

Gender: Female Age: 59
Marital Status: Widowed Religion: Protestant
Occupation: Pauper
Address: Pistyll, Carnarvonshire

Date of Admission: May 20, 1875
Date of Death: January 22, 1876
Cause of Death: General decay

Disease: Chronic mania
Supposed Cause: Heredity

Medical Certificate:
Her general appearance, uncertain gait and childish and restless conduct. Frightened and wild expression of the eyes. Loss of memory and incoherence of speech. By her daughter Ellen Thomas: That she wanders about from place to place and loses her way home. Thomas Hunter Hughes, Plas y Ward, Pwllheli.

Approximate duration of present attack: About 3 years

Number of Previous Attacks: 0

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 0

Total Number of Admissions: 1

Relatives affected: Cousin born an idiot on father's side

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: No

Dangerous: No

Clean Habit: Yes

Food Refusal: No

Sleep Habit: Good

Destructive Habit: Yes, destroying bed clothes

Disposition: Sober and industrious

Education: Bad

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Fair health, middle sized, lymphatic temperament. Fairly nourished. Eats voraciously, never satisfied. Tongue clean, bowels open. Faint mitral regurgitant bruit. Respiratory system murmur natural. Percussion sound somewhat dull on both sides. Fairly developed chest. She was rather excited on admission, incoherent in her speech and had a peculiar terrified expression of countenance. Thought that she had been brought to the Workhouse which she seemed to dread above anything. Crying very much and wanting to go back with her daughter. She is a woman who has worked very hard during her lifetime. Green irides. Pupils contracted but equal.

Current Diagnosis: Mental disorder due to brain damage/physical disease (F06.9)

Case Notes

1875 May 21 - Incoherent and frightened in her manner, says that she is very hungry. Did not sleep last night.

May 22 - Just the same. Says she is in the Workhouse, quite incoherent and foolish. Somewhat noisy at night.

Apt to take her clothes off.

May 26 - Got very excited last night and smashed nearly every pane in the window of her bedroom in No 4 corridor and tore her bedclothes also. To be placed in Padded Room tonight.

Pretty quiet during the day though trying to undress herself.

June 11 - Getting dirty in her habits. July 5 - Very destructive frequently requiring tick dress and bed covering. Completely incoherent . Aug 5 - Merely leading an animal life.

1876 Jan 12 - Has gradually been getting weaker for some time past.

She now keeps her bed and suffers from obstinate diarrhoea.

Jan 21 - The chest is becoming affected.

She cannot live long.

Medications/Treatments: Chloral, Padded room, Tick dress