Mary Williams (2519)

Admission Details for Patient: Mary Williams (2519)

Gender: Female Age: 36
Marital Status: Married Religion: Baptist
Occupation: Farmer's wife
Address: Llanuwchllyn, Merioneth

Date of Admission: December 13, 1875
Date of Death: January 18, 1887
Cause of Death: Pulm. Phthisis/Exhaustion

Disease: Mania
Supposed Cause: Heredity/Has been living poorly for some time*

Medical Certificate:
Incoherence of speech. Excitable manner. Alternate fits of laughing and crying without apparent cause. From Margaret Jones a neighbour: Threatened to kill her mother and her own child, also to drown herself. Sleepless for several nights in succession and screaming aloud without any provocation.

Approximate duration of present attack: 9-12 months

Number of Previous Attacks: 0

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 0

Total Number of Admissions: 1

Relatives affected: Sister has been under restraint here 2 or 3 times, mother affected

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: Yes, threatened to drown herself

Dangerous: Yes, threatened to kill her mother and her child

Clean Habit: Yes

Food Refusal: No

Sleep Habit: Badly

Destructive Habit: No

Disposition: Sober and industrious

Education: Bad

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Bodily condition on admission fair. Has an ulcer on leg. Mental state: She is quiet and answers questions in a vacant manner.

Current Diagnosis: Severe Depressive Episode (F32.2)

Case Notes

1875 Dec 28 - She is in good health. Quiet and inoffensive but remains very vacant in her manners.

1876 Jan 28 - Mental state much the same. Is employed in the laundry. Feb 12 - Has much improved since last note. Is now very quiet and well behaved and has had no relapse. She is very nervous, starting on being touched and she is very subject to cold.

Mar 19 - Has been improving till today but this morning she refused to get up saying she was frightened. She is listless and silly and can be induced to do nothing.

(Notes continue to indicate improvement followed by relapse).

1881 Nov 11 - Assisting Night Attendant.

Alternately excited and depressed.

1882 May 19 - Has severe bronchitis. In bed. Extra diet.

May 28 - Night sweats.

Taking medicine of Quin(ine) x Acid Sulph. dil.

June 10 - Phthisis advancing rapidly.

1883 Aug 15 - No improvement. Suffers much from chronic bronchitis.

1885 Oct 5 - Has been in low spirits for many months. Taking extract Cod Oil with benefit.

1886 July 20 - Is now in very poor health.

Cough bad and there is every evidence of a recommencement of the phthisical process. Dec 28 - Has not many more weeks to live.

Medications/Treatments: Quin. x Acid Sulph. Dil, Cod Oil. Extra Diet

Additional Notes

*

By 1875 Bala Workhouse was thought to be unsatisfactory and was closed. Mary Williams’ address is given as Elusendy (Almshouse) perhaps this provided an alternative accommodation for people who were ‘living poorly’ at this time.