Elizabeth Williams (4197)

Date of Admission: June 11, 1890
Date of Discharge: November 19, 1891
Discharge Category: Relieved

Disease: Acute Mania
Supposed Cause: Not known

Medical Certificate:
1.Talks incoherently and is most excitable. 2. Facts communicated by Owen Jones, her son in law, of 6 Glanrafon Terrace, Tanygrisiau, County of Merioneth: That she is very violent at times and throws anything she can get hold of at anyone that happens to be near. June 10th 1890. Griffith John Roberts, Bronygraig, Festiniog.

Approximate duration of present attack: 2 weeks

Number of Previous Attacks: 6

Number of Previous Admissions: 6

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 2

Total Number of Admissions: 9

Relatives affected: Brother and aunt - brother treated at this Asylum

Number of Previous Attacks: 6

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: No

Dangerous: Yes

Clean Habit: -

Food Refusal: -

Sleep Habit: -

Destructive Habit: -

Disposition: -

Education: Reads

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Health good. The above patient was discharged from here on the 20th January 1890. Had been doing moderately well at home until about 5 months ago when she showed signs of a gradual relapse into her former restless and excited condition. Was fairly manageable until two weeks ago when she became noisy and sleepless at night, destructive and mischievous to the household furniture and requiring her eldest daughter to be with her constantly. Has several bruises upon left hip, leg and shoulders said to have been occasioned by her violent behaviour while at home.

Current Diagnosis: Bipolar Affective Disorder (F31)

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

Previous admissions:

When she was first admitted on October 24th 1866 (no. 1432), Elizabeth Williams was living in Llanrwst and the cause of her insanity was thought to be 'suckling a child'.

She was considered to be rather dangerous but not suicidal. The Medical Certificate reads:

That she is dangerous to herself and those about her, that her language is horribly obscene and disgusting. When asked for her hand persisted in giving the forefinger first of one hand then of the other and when asked to show the tongue she pursed the lips and rolled the tongue inside the mouth but would not put it out. Husband and family have stated the above facts which I have observed myself. Sometimes thought people were in the house when only her mother was present, thought thieves were robbing the place, called for delicacies and thought she was eating what she called for when bread etc was given to her.

There was another admission on 23rd June 1869 (no. 1770) with Mania. The Medical Certificate reads: Said that bread came from heaven to her children, supposed that she had half her body cut and united to a pig and lots of other absurdities.

Very violent. Said to her husband that he had cut her leg and eaten it.

She was discharged recovered on 23rd August 1869.

Puerperal Mania was diagnosed when Elizabeth was admitted on 5th May 1874 (no. 2335) and it is noted that her friends reported a similar attack to the present one after almost every confinement. The Medical Certificate reads: Her general appearance, manners and habits are those of an insane person, talks incessantly, is violent, wandering.

Reasoning faculty confused.

Has fits of violence without any cause.

Her insanity was relatively short lived and she was discharged recovered on 19th June 1874.

Readmitted on 29th January 1885 Elizabeth was diagnosed with Mania (no. 3571). The Medical Certificate reads:

1. She is labouring under delusions, ie that her husband is unfaithful and maltreating her. Also that her children are all to die of the same complaint.

II. Her husband, Thomas Williams, informs me she is dangerous, especially when she find an opportunity and a weaker person. She was discharged recovered on 22nd March 1885.

Another admission with Mania on 3rd October 1887 (no. 3892).

The Medical Certificate reads: 1. She is very violent, talks incoherently and she is labouring under delusions that everybody is militating against her.

2.

Communicated by Kate Williams, her daughter: that she does take knives and other missiles and handles them with a threatening attitude.

Discharged recovered on 20th February 1888.

Readmitted 15th November 1889 (no. 4121).

Medical Certificate reads: She is very excited, and believes her husband is unkind to her, calls him every name. She also sees everything in the wrong way.

Other facts indicating Insanity communicated to me by her daughter, Kate Williams: That she gets very excited, and broke the bedstead to bits.

Diagnosed with Acute Mania, she was discharged recovered on 20th January1890.

Readmissions:

18th October 1895 (no. 5013).

Medical Certificate reads: She is very violent and talks incoherently and also labours under delusions that her husband has killed her child by crushing his heart out.

Catherine Jones, Talywaenydd, Bl. Ffestiniog, states that she goes rambling out in the fields.Griffith John Roberts of Gwynfa, Bl. Ffestiniog saw her in the trees about 300 yards from her home.

Diagnosed with Subacute Mania she was discharged recovered on 20th May 1896.

Displaying similar symptoms Elizabeth was readmitted on 19th March 1898 (no. 5348). Medical Certificate reads: 1. She talks incoherently and rambles about the place, she also is very violent and breaks everything in her reach. 2. By her husband Thomas Williams, Talywaenydd, Blaenau Festiniog: She does not sleep for some time and gets out of bed and rambles about the place. Discharged recovered on 21st April 1899.