Mary Mary Owen (9383)

Admission Details for Patient: M E O (9383)

Gender: Female Age: 26
Marital Status: Single Religion: Calvinist Methodist
Occupation: Domestic Servant
Address: Llysfaen (admitted from Conway Workhouse), Carnarvonshire

Date of Admission: February 18, 1920
Date of Death: April 29, 1970
Cause of Death:

Disease: Imbecility
Supposed Cause: Congenital

Medical Certificate:
She has been certified under the Mental Deficiency Act since August 23rd 1917. She has a wild look and has become very violent and obstreporous when spoken to. She is incoherent in her replies to questions. Mrs Mary Evans, Matron, PL Institution, Conway, states that she rambles about the Wards at night and tries to get out through the windows. She refuses to take her food at times. She stood for hours on some steps with a chair ready to attack the Master and this morning she struck him on the face. Dr. J. R. Williams, Conway, 18th Feb 1920.

Approximate duration of present attack: 4 weeks

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: No

Dangerous: Yes threatened workhouse master with a chair

Clean Habit:

Food Refusal:

Sleep Habit:

Destructive Habit:

Disposition:

Education:

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Good health. Very childish and does not realise her position. Her intelligence and education are poor. She admits having lost her self control on some occasions and states that she has an illegitimate child 3 yrs old.

Current Diagnosis: Learning disability

Case Notes

1920 Feb 20 (copy of official report) - Suffering from Imbecility.

A young woman of low intelligence. So far well conducted.

28 - Had a seizure, apparently epileptic, last night. Otherwise quiet, well conducted.

Mar 6 - No more seizures.

13 - No change. 22 (copy report) - Suffering from Imbecility.

Her condition remained more or less unchanged, although she is reported as mischievous and quarrelsome at times.

In 1924 her diagnosis changed to imbecility with epilepsy, having had several more seizures. It was reported that she was becoming very slow and stupid in her ways and her memory becoming defective.

Childish and self absorbed.

Walks about picking up and storing any kind of rubbish.

Noted in July 1935 to be 'quite demented'.

A Special Report dated January 1952 describes her as 'an imbecile who is also becoming demented'.

Collapsed and died suddenly in toilet 29th Apr 1970.

Medications/Treatments: Disipal, Reserpine, Largactil Syrup, Vallergan, Ferro Gluconate

Additional Notes

Disipal and Reserpine appear on the Drug Sheets 1958, Largactil and Vallergan in 1965.

Some sheets are evidently missing from the file.

The name on the sheets appears as 'MEO Rubbish' - presumably a nickname derived from the patient's habit, mentioned in the case notes, of gathering and hoarding rubbish.