Evan Davies (4147)

Admission Details for Patient: Evan Davies (4147)

Gender: Male Age: 24
Marital Status: Single Religion: Calvinist Methodist
Occupation: Farm labourer
Address: No fixed abode,

Date of Admission: January 21, 1890
Date of Death: April 7, 1937
Cause of Death: Carcinoma of Pancreas

Disease: Mania with Imbecility
Supposed Cause: Respecting a young woman

Medical Certificate:
I. Says everybody is plotting against him, trying to injure him in every way - and that he has been obliged to leave many situations from fear of being killed, and now is afraid of taking a place, from fear of being murdered. II. Gwen Davies, Llwynbir, states that he told her he had been trying to commit suicide - that he was in constant dread of being killed - and that he is constant state of restlessness. January 27th 1890. Evan Williams, MRCS England and LCPh London., Bala.

Approximate duration of present attack: 2 years

Number of Previous Attacks: 0

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 0

Total Number of Admissions: 1

Relatives affected:

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: Yes, attempted

Dangerous: No

Clean Habit: Yes

Food Refusal: No

Sleep Habit: Fair

Destructive Habit: No

Disposition: -

Education: Fair, reads and writes

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Health good. Patient during the last six months has led a wandering life and dependent chiefly upon the kindness of his neighbours. He is an illegitimate son and his mother is in service. Cause is supposed to be an attachment to a young woman, a farmer's daughter, who would have nothing to do with him and, as she has lately married, he has threatened violence to her husband. Is said also to have attempted suicide.

Current Diagnosis: Schizophrenia (F20)

Case Notes

1890 Feb 1 - Patient is of pleasant appearance and manners and since his admission here has been perfectly quiet and orderly. He converses readily and sensibly enough upon most topics and denies that he ever contemplated violence or suicide. However, he imagines that he is the object of persecution on the part of certain persons who lived in the same place as himself but remarks that it may be owed to his some years ago having prosecuted one of them in respect to some money he lent him.

15 - Quiet and in every way well conducted. Working out on the farm.

Apr 10 - Patient today is in a melancholic condition. Requesting in a lachrymose manner to see the Parson as he is a great sinner and fears he is going to die. An undoubted imbecile. Health excellent. May 3 - Informed me again that he would not live long as he was gradually fading away and has given up work.

Aug 18 - This patient appears to have developed suicidal propensities. Today requested an attendant to get him poison. Repeated the same to writer and said "he was tired of this sort of life", said he would not resort to any other method as poison had been given him more than once since he came here but without effect.

All this was said in the most serious manner.

Have issued a card and warned the attendants.

Oct 7 - The same morbid wish and delusions present. Frequently requests poison to destroy himself and he is also under the belief that some is given him regularly but not strong enough to do him much harm.

Is evidently a Coward for he wishes the same to be painless as possible and says he does not contemplate any more violent method of self destruction. In good health and does a little ward work.

1891 Apr 15 - May be considered incurable.

Sept 10 - A very inoffensive and well conducted fellow. The delusions regarding poisoning and wish to obtain something to end his life with are still present.

(Notes from Feb 1892 to Apr 1895 indicate no change). 1895 Aug 15 - Since last entry has taken to knocking his head against the floor until it is quite black. When asked why he did it, he said he wanted to die. Still the caution card.

Nov - Is a bit quieter as regards knocking his head. Deluded as ever. Rambling and incoherent in conversation. Is thinner than he used to be. A suspicion of Phthisis in left apex.

(No further change and notes after 1911, when he was described as ‘a quiet and useful chronic case’, were entered into a Loose Leaf Case Book). A note dated April 19th 1932 reads:

"He is suffering from Dementia. Memory for recent events very poor, mistakes the identity of people.

Is quite unable to appreciate his position."

Medications/Treatments: