Agnes Jones (4238)

Admission Details for Patient: Agnes Jones (4238)

Gender: Female Age: 21
Marital Status: Single Religion: Calvinist Methodist
Occupation: Domestic servant
Address: Nr Llangefni, Anglesey

Date of Admission: October 28, 1890
Date of Discharge: June 18, 1891
Discharge Category: Relieved

Disease: Mania with Imbecility
Supposed Cause: Hered.

Medical Certificate:
1. She states that there are gypsies passing the house continually and that they want to come there to lodge. Various other delusions. She is very excitable in her manner and quite different to what she used to be. 2. Facts communicated by her mother: She must be constantly watched, especially at night (she managed to escape one night without their knowledge) as she has told her mother that she wants to drown herself. (Signed) John Jones, Gwalchmai, Anglesey. October 27th 1890.

Approximate duration of present attack: 1 year

Number of Previous Attacks: 0

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 0

Total Number of Admissions: 1

Relatives affected: Aunt

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: No

Dangerous: No

Clean Habit: Yes

Food Refusal: No

Sleep Habit: Bad

Destructive Habit: No

Disposition: -

Education: Moderate

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Health good. Patient is one of a family of 13. Has been for some years a domestic servant. About 15 months ago she had a quarrel with her mistress and county courted her for her wages. This seems to have caused her much distress of mind. She is also said to have fallen out with her sweetheart. Her aunt is said to have died insane.

Current Diagnosis: Dissociative Disorder (F44)

Case Notes

1890 Nov 1 - Patient is a tall well built and nourished girl dark hair and brown irides.

Features etc indicative of imbecility. According to her own account she has been in a good many situations but has never remained very long in any of them owing very probably to outbreaks of passion, of which she has since admission shown no trace. She states that she has seen the devil in the shape of a little man in red coat who used to vanish up the chimney. This happened subsequent to her visiting some shows in Llandudno.

The whole occurrence she narrates in a very rambling and unintelligible manner. She also affirms that something was put in her tea by the son of the house where she was, that she tasted it, and that it was done to make "sport" of her.

She seems to be in good health.

There is however a presystolic bruit at apex but no disturbance of heart's action. She has this day been transferred to the Private Class at the request of Mr. Kneeshaw.*

8 - Is decidedly brighter. Sews and knits daily and eats and sleeps well.

1891 Jan 3 - A very troublesome girl.

Passionate and self willed and strange and incomprehensible in her ways.

Has declared that she is bewitched by the writer and will get up and hurry out of the room when he enters it. Says the same of the night attendant and frequently shouts at and abuses her at night.

Very idle and will do nothing. Mar 10 - A little quieter and better behaved. Always complaining of pains somewhere or other, probably Hysterical. Good health.

May 1 - Has gone home upon trial at the request of her friends as she is a Private Patient. Will probably return at no very distant date.

Discharged "Relieved" 18th June 1891.

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

*The Kneeshaw family were involved in various philanthropic activities around the Conway and Llandudno area. Agnes seems to have had links with Llandudno and may have been in service there, possibly with the Kneeshaw family, before returning to Anglesey insane.

Mr Kneeshaw's willingness to pay for Agnes's care may have been simply a philanthropic gesture.

But a more interesting explanation might be that the quarrel with her mistress, a fall-out with her sweetheart and her affirmation that something was put in her tea by the son of the house where she was in service may not be entirely unconnected.