W B (9507)

Admission Details for Patient: W B (9507)

Gender: Male Age: 36
Marital Status: Married Religion: Church of England
Occupation: Labourer (former soldier)
Address: Trefriw, Carnarvonshire

Date of Admission: September 15, 1920
Date of Discharge: Not Recorded

Disease: Melancholia
Supposed Cause: (None stated)

Medical Certificate:
He appears dazed and nervous, complains of abdominal pains and does not know what to do with himself during the attacks. Says that he cannot help himself from doing harmful acts such as throwing himself to some dangerous obstacle, he appears very despondent and neurasthenic. M E B, his wife, says she saw him yesterday try to nurse the baby child, when he seemed to show some violence to the child. Also on many occasions has been very violent to his wife threatening her life.

Approximate duration of present attack: Many months

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

Dangerous: Yes, threatening

Clean Habit:

Food Refusal:

Sleep Habit:

Destructive Habit:

Disposition:

Education:

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Rather poor and is anaemic.

Current Diagnosis: General Paralysis of the Insane

Case Notes

1920 Sept 18 - A pale middle aged looking man. Complains of pain in left side. Spleen is palpable but not enlarged.

Very depressed and is in poor bodily health.

Has signs of an old syphilitic scar on penis.

18 (copy) - He is suffering from Mental Depression. He sates he is greatly troubled by a pain which comes on intermittently in his left side. He states that he suffered from Malaria when out in the Dardanelles.

His spleen is enlarged to a small extent.

He states he does not know what he is doing when the pain becomes severe. There is a history of Gonorrhoea and a doubtful history of syphilis.

25 - Rather better mental condition but health not improved.

Oct 1 - No change.

23 - Wassermann Test returned positive.

Nov 9 - Talks fairly rationally but is sullen. Memory is poor. Denies threats to his wife.

12 - His wife has visited him and interviewed firmly repeated the facts of his threats and his cruelty towards herself.

Dec 14 - Before the Med. Supt. today he seemed very rational.

Admits having fallen foul of the law on one or two occasions and that it was largely due to his intemperate habits.

1921 Jan - Considerably chagrined by not going before last committee. Will not do anything.

Feb - Has been detected in planning escape whilst on football field.

Sent a letter away by an outsider. In whites. All privileges removed.

Apr - Mental condition fair at present. Appears to have treated his wife and child most cruelly before admission which he will not admit to.

May - Mental condition improving.

July - No further change.

Aug (copy) - He was out on trial from July 25th . He gave way to drink and had a relapse and threatened the lives of his wife and children.

He also again had delusions about his wife.

Was brought back from trial on Aug 20.

Poor health and condition.

Sept - Has behaved since his return. Now states that is wife is also to blame for his relapse for she has taken to drink and is not faithful to him.

Oct - Continues to behave himself here. Some privileges have been allowed now.

NOTICE OF ESCAPE:

Oct 19th 1921.

This patient was not under constant observation at night but was visited by the General Night Inspector every two hours. He escaped this morning between the Inspector's visit.

He was last seen at 3am and at 5am was found missing.

He had forced the lock on the Dormitory door and then a window on the ground floor. He is still at large.

Recaptured Nov 2 1921.

He was recaptured by the Police at Rotherham and brought back to the Asylum by 2 attendants on this day, Nov 4th.

8 - quiet and has given no trouble since return.

1922 Jan - Very variable in his moods, sometimes aggressive.

Continually upbraiding his wife for her conduct towards him. Not to be trusted.

(This is the last note - no record of discharge or death)

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

No record of whether this patient was discharged or died in care.