John Roberts (4249)

Date of Admission: December 3, 1890
Date of Discharge: August 24, 1892
Discharge Category: Recovered

Disease: Dementia
Supposed Cause: Congenital

Medical Certificate:
1. Noisy, quarrelsome, tearing up clothes, attempting to set fire to clothing and bedding, burning his own body. Filthy habits. 2. Communicated to me by others. Threatening and striking the guard in charge of him. Nov 27th 1890. William Campbell, MB, FRCS, Grenadier Guards, Windsor.

Approximate duration of present attack: since 14 Sept 1890

Number of Previous Attacks: 0

Number of Previous Admissions: 0

Number of Subsequent Admissions: 5

Total Number of Admissions: 6

Relatives affected:

Epileptic: No

Suicidal: Not strictly so but injures himself if allowed

Dangerous: -

Clean Habit: -

Food Refusal: -

Sleep Habit: -

Destructive Habit: -

Disposition: -

Education: -

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Health good. Patient was brought her today from the Victoria Barracks Windsor under an escort and by order of the Secretary of State. A letter from the Med. Officer in charge will give full particulars regarding his clinical history. This letter is attached to the Case Book and reads as follows: "I beg to send you a few particulars about Private Roberts who is placed under your care. He served about eighteen months with us and till August 90 did not show any marks of insanity. He was never very sharp but when he joined he could not speak English. He was always clean and very willing to work. Last August, while at Firbright Camp, he was bathing and was in danger of being drowned and the fright seems to have affected him. He was brought to me soon after and was then childish in conduct and dirty in his habits. He was left under observation and put down for invaliding. When he found this out he became violent and tore up his clothes and was very excited as he is very fond of soldiering. He remained in this condition for a few days and then became quieter but his mental condition was much worse than before the attack and he has been in his present condition ever since. He has never shown any suicidal or homicidal tendency. While he has been under my care he has been out of doors as much as possible and has had liberal diet and while his fit of excitement was going on, I gave him Bromide of Potass. There is no family history of Insanity as far as I can find out. During the last fortnight he has suffered from Diarrhoea and has been very dirty in his habits. He was also found masturbating but there is no history of habitual practice of self abuse. I am yours very sincerely - " Is said to have been a kindly disposed and intelligent young fellow previous to this attack of Insanity which resulted from a fright while bathing.

Current Diagnosis: Schizophrenia (F20.1)

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

Readmissions:

5th June 1897 (no. 5241) with dementia. The Medical Certificate indicates he had married by this time: John Rowlands, Menai Bridge, says that he threatened his wife with a knife which he was holding in his hand. Elizabeth Roberts, Orsedd, Penymnydd says he was out in his shirt and was going to thresh a hay field. Discharged recovered on 25th March 1898.

6th December 1899 (no. 5612) with mania. The Medical Certificate reads: 1. In answer to questions he is utterly unable to give a coherent intelligible answer but strikes the attitude of a soldier and expresses himself invariably in disconnected sentences. 2. By Mr. William Davies, Master of the Workhouse, that when asked when he came in to the Workhouse he replied that Evans was raising the turnips.

And by Mr Thomas Williams, Porter in the Workhouse, that he had jumped up in a threatening manner to him saying "I wish I had caught him".

Discharged recovered 21st September 1900.

18th March 1904 (no. 6329) with mania.

Medical Certificate reads: 1. He is incoherent. Sits very quiet with his hands stiff by his side, eyes closed with head thrown back. He is much mixed (up) about his number when in the Army.

2.

By Mr. Hughes, Cae Mawr: "He threatened to split open the servant's head with a spade".

By Sgt. Hughes: "Asked for his coat at Cae Mawr today, he produced an oiled skin cap and said this is the best coat he ever had".

Discharged 27th December 1904 again recovered.

19th November 1906 (no. 6845) with mania.

Medical Certificate reads:

Rambling and incoherent, refuses food, very peculiar and extravagant in behaviour. Mr.C. M. Coles, Relieving Officer, states: That he has been away from home for nights and that he saw him in Llanfair village, drilling without a hat on.

Once again he recovered and was discharged on 16th June 1908.

John Roberts' final admission was on 3rd February 1913 when he was diagnosed with recurrent melancholia. Medical Certificate reads: 03/02/1913 to death 09/02/1942 (no. 7967) - recurrent melancholia. Med Cert reads: 1 (i) Incoherent in his speech. (ii) Imagines himself in the service of his Majesty at present.

(iii) Considers that he is under sentence of his officers, which is not true.

2. (i) Wanders at night, contrary to his usual habits.

(ii) Carrying a stick at night and speaks incoherently all through the night contrary to his usual habits.

(iii) Imagines he is being watched with evil intention which is not the case. Runs about aimlessly.

He remained in hospital until his death on 9th February 1942 from Pulmonary congestion/Myocardial degeneration.