S T (9559)

Admission Details for Patient: S T (9559)

Gender: Male Age: 26
Marital Status: Single Religion: None in particular
Occupation: Former soldier
Address: Blaenau Festiniog, Merionethshire

Date of Admission: December 2, 1920
Date of Death: July 7, 1978
Cause of Death:

Disease: (Delusional insanity)
Supposed Cause: Shell shock etc.

Medical Certificate:
He has been seen by a Military Specialist and in his opinion he should be placed under treatment for mental unbalance. He labours from delusions that he is poisoned. Mrs J L J (his sister): That she is in terror of him and he told her he "can handle a rifle and can shoot straight so look out". Griffith John Roberts, Festiniog.

Approximate duration of present attack: 18 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: No

Dangerous: Threatening language

Clean Habit:

Food Refusal:

Sleep Habit:

Destructive Habit:

Disposition: Quite temperate

Education:

Physical/Mental State at Examination: Poor health and condition. GSW to right forearm also left shoulder. He has had the right 3rd finger amputated at meta.ph. Small scar also on palm of rt. hand. Irritability when on leave after two woundings in France. Suggested cause for attack - exposure, shell shock, hardships and wounds in War and previous sensitive nature. Always very sensitive, not sociable with strangers. Reported bronchitis during War.

Current Diagnosis: Schizophrenia (F20.0)

Case Notes

1920 Dec 6 (copy of official report) - Suffering from Delusional Insanity. Fixed delusion that recently while in Bangor a drug was placed in his drinking water by a fellow lodger and that he has felt the effect of it ever since in his heart action. He states that he has been feeling run down for a long time and that he has had frequent quarrels with his married sister with whom he was living and that he did tell her that he was a good shot with a revolver. He is very reticent and shy in his manner and since admission his conduct has been good.

13 - No change. 20 - Is fairly normal in speech and conduct. Never refers to the drug question.

27 - Interests himself in the topics of the day, reads, plays and talks with his friends most of the time.

1921 Jan - Well conducted.

Makes up well with other patients. Touchy and does not take orders with a good grace at times.

Feb 20 - Requested the Charge Attendant to be brought before the Medical Staff one morning recently.

He said in his timid, nervous way, that his private parts were being interfered with by some persons or forces here, inasmuch as he did not now have any erotic dreams!

He was being dried up, he said.

Mar - No complaints. Apr - Has been making himself very disagreeable of late, number of unfounded grievances being lodged.

July - Hypochondriacal.

Oct - Most disagreeable at times, accusing me of neglecting his case and of tampering with his private parts.

Oct 31 (copy report) - Delusional Insanity.

Still has fixed delusions that poison and drugs are given to him and that they are placed within his tea or coffee, and states that he feels certain of it because he feels the after effects.

1922 Jan - Told his father in my presence last week that I ordered drugs to be put in his coffee every day and that once he gets out he will soon have Scotland Yard on my track.

Never approaches me on the Airing Court now as he was wont to do.

Apr - Under the impression that he is undergoing systematic drugging at my instance. Codeine and Morphia are the prescribed drugs according to him.

Bad tempered and spends most of his time staring vacantly about the Airing Court.

July - Told me he was fed up with Dr Jones and myself coming to his bedroom at night and interfering with him. Very morose.

Nov 6 (copy report) - Suffering from Delusional Insanity.

Always making complaints about the officers and staff. Frequently found muttering and talking to himself.

1923 Jan - Case of Dementia Praecox.

Apr - Believes that he is being continually drugged.

Bad tempered and perverse.

Oct - Threatened me, Dr Jones and rest of staff with Penal Servitude. Violent, threw a pot at one of the attendants. Moved to No. 3.

1924 - Quiet and well conducted since last note but surly and indifferent. July - No change.

Nov (copy report) - Suffering from Delusional Insanity.

1925 May - Surly, curt and bad tempered. Stands in the same place all day. Delusions of persecution persist.

Dec to May 1926 - No change.

1927 Feb - Now becoming demented

Aug -The same.

Nov (copy report - Suffering from Dementia. Dull and self absorbed and is of a surly and morose disposition.

Suffers from valvular disease of the heart).

Subsequent notes indicate little change in his condition.

A Special Report dated November 1952 reads: He is a chronic schizophrenic who is solitary, disinterested in his environment and unable to sustain any conversation. He has no idea of time relationship and thinks that he has been here seven years and that he is 19 years of age (actually here 32 years and aged 58). He says he is here for masturbating and he believes that he was born of his father and had no mother.

Medications/Treatments:

Additional Notes

A note written by the patient and dated 30th November 1920 reads:

I, S T thereby solemnly declare that while undergoing treatment at Bangor at the Out Patients' Clinic a drug was administered to me deliberately, intentionally and unlawfully; and I require that the latter be thoroughly investigated by the police and that the law take its course against any person or persons found guilty of the aforesaid crime.

We, the undersigned, append our signatures in support of the above statements, having acquainted ourselves with the matter