Sarah Hindmarsh (2472)

Admission Details for Patient: Sarah Hindmarsh (2472)

Gender: Female Age: 35
Marital Status: Married Religion: Roman Catholic
Occupation: Housewife
Address: Beaumaris, Anglesey

Date of Admission: June 21, 1875
Date of Discharge: July 20, 1876
Discharge Category: Relieved

Disease: Recurrent mania
Supposed Cause: Not known

Medical Certificate:
Imagines her husband insane. Told me that I had been living on geese and that their fur was growing out of my neck. That she has a son in France, a clergyman who never had any father, and other imaginary nonsense. Robert Edward Owen, Bulkeley Place, Beaumaris.

Approximate duration of present attack: About 15 months

Number of Previous Attacks: 2

Number of Previous Admissions: 2

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 1

Total Number of Admissions: 4

Relatives affected:

Number of Previous Attacks: 2

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: Probably

Dangerous: Yes

Clean Habit: Yes

Food Refusal:

Sleep Habit: Well

Destructive Habit: Doubtful

Disposition: Sober and industrious

Education: Fair

Physical/Mental State at Examination: In good health, tall and slender, nervous temperament. On admission was quiet and free from excitement. Incoherent and singing snatches of religious hymns (she is Roman Catholic). Considers that she should not have been brought here. She was only discharged last December from the Asylum, her husband insisting upon getting her home before any great amendment had taken place. First time she was a private patient. Says she has a son a clergyman in France and that she has borne nine children - which are delusions. She is a tall, slender, good looking woman and has an intelligent appearance. Irides are of a greenish-hazel colour. Pupils medium sized and equal. Was placed in Ward No 3 to sleep in an associated room.

Current Diagnosis: Schizophrenia (F20.0)

Case Notes

1875 June 21 - Slept well during the night.

Partakes very sparingly of nourishment.

Walking about and singing. Answers questions rationally except about her delusions. June 22 - Very quiet and free from excitement.

Conversing freely and has a very agreeable manner.

Sleeping well.

Ordered bread and milk for dinner as she does not eat much.

June 23 - Has commenced to sew and given up the singing.

June 24 - Working quietly. Full of delusions. June 27 - Today she was seized with a fresh delusion. She fancies that she is the doctor's cousin and that she knew him in Boulogne.

Does not think that Miss C belongs to the Tichborne family and the latter thinks the same of her.

Also said that her husband was insane.

(Notes continue to January 1876 showing 'no improvement').

Jan 28 1876 - Quiet and industrious. Her health still continues good but her delusions remain especially as regards disowning her husband.

May 10 - Has improved to a certain extent will now acknowledge her husband.

June 16 - Has much improved and delusions fading. July 10 - Discharged this day relieved.

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

Previous admission:

Sarah Hindmarsh was admitted as a private patient in June 1874, discharged and then readmitted as a pauper in September of the same year with a diagnosis of Chronic Mania.

In her Medical Certificate her husband John Hindmarsh, a militia bandmaster, stated that she disowns him as her husband and disowns her children.

No case notes have been found.

Readmission:

1st February 1878 (no. 2750). Medical Certificate reads:

Her wild appearance.

Talking incoherently and threatening her attendants.

Miss Tibbetts says that she the patient has been after her with a knife, and threatening to beat her so that she is afraid of living in the same house.

Sergeant Attwell says that the patient has been raving fearfully this morning cursing and swearing.

Wm J Williams LRCP, Penrallt, Carnarvon.

Sarah was transferred to the ‘Chronic Book’ in 1891 and remained at the hospital until her death on 9th September 1914 from heart disease.

**

Sarah’s son John George Hindmarsh, a Colour Sgt with the East Kent Regiment stationed at Canterbury, was admitted to Denbigh on 8th October 1901 (case no. 5904) with a diagnosis of Melancholia.

He had attempted suicide.

The cause of his attack given as "worry and anxiety pending a musketry examination".

Like his father, he was a musician and continued playing clarionette in the asylum band until at least 1926 (long after case notes describe him as ‘demented’).

He died from pneumonia on 23rd February 1927.

There is no indication that mother and son were ever reunited at the asylum.