Patients - Explore Bethlem

Name of Patient.

Hermann Emil Otto Müller

Gender.

Male

Age.

52

Admitted.

July 30th, 1895

Residence at or immediately previous to date.

Bethlem Royal Hospital as V. B.

Rank, Profession or Occupation.

Teacher of languages

Degree of Education.

Good

Religious Persuasion.

Church of England

Married, Single or Widowed.

Married

Number of Children.

2

Age of youngest Child.

10 years

Whether the first Attack.

No

Age on first Attack.

49

Duration of existing Attack.

5 weeks

How many previous Attacks.

1

Confined in any Lunatic Asylum.

Yes

Where.

Bethlem Royal Hospital

When.

August 13, 1892

And how long.

-

Supposed cause of Insanity.

Unknown

Predisposing.

Heredity – Previous attack

Exciting.

Whether Suicidal.

No

Whether dangerous to others, and in what way.

No

State of Bodily Health.

Good

Whether of sober habits.

Yes

Relatives afflicted with Insanity.

Sister

1st Medical Certificate.         Seymour G. Toller, St. Thomas’ Hospital, S.E.
a. Facts indicating Insanity observed by myself at the time of Examination, viz.—
Patient states that he was in Bethlem Hospital three years ago - Says now that lately he has been very much depressed owing to his being constantly under the impression that someone was following him; has frequently heard the voices of his friends conversing with him. Has been unable to sleep and unable to take his food.
b. Facts communicated by others.
William Riddaway, attendant Bethlem Royal Hospital, says the patient imagines he is being ‘shadowed’ – He is noisy at night – Refuses his food – Neither washes nor dresses himself – Is also under the impression that a patient is taking liberties with him.
July 25th, 1895.

2nd Medical Certificate.        W.F. Umney, 15 Crystal Palace Park Road, Sydenham.
a. Facts indicating Insanity observed by myself at the time of Examination, viz.—
Patient is very garrulous – He tells me he has just been sent back from the Convalesant  Home at Witley as he was so restless and noisy – that he does not know if he was hypnotised, he thinks at times he is shadowed and followed and that one of the patients at Witley was desirous of committing an unnatural offence on him – that he hears bangings and hammerings and he thinks at times voices.

b. Facts communicated by others.
William Riddaway, attendant Bethlem Royal Hospital, tells me patient is restless, stands gazing about the gallery, stamping at times, noisy at nights, has to be made to wash and dress himself, does not occupy himself.
July 25th, 1895.

Discharged.

Left the Hospital.

Died.

From V.B. book
Relation of Informant to Patient:   Mother.

Family History.
Insanity or other Diseases of Nervous System:  
Sister insane. Mother “peculiar”.
Phthsis:   No.
Alcoholism:   No.
Diabetes:   No.
Other Diseases:   Brother, Bright’s disease.
Age and Sex of Children:  

Previous History.
Neuroses in Patient:   Easily depressed.
Acute Rheumatism or Chorea:   No.
Fits – epileptic or hysterical:   No.
Fits – infantile:   No.
Fevers, &c.:   No.
Syphilis:   No.
Other Diseases:   No.
Sober:   Yes.
Number and nature of previous attacks:   One in 1892.
Injuries or shocks:   No.

Present Attack.
Time of earliest symptoms:   June 17th, 1895.
Nature of earliest symptoms:  
Thought his pupil made suggestions of an indecent kind and said that if this wasn’t true then he had another attack coming on.
Progress of case:  
He quite believed that these things were delusions. Not sleeping well. Rational on all subjects except that one about sodomy, thought people came to his house for that purpose. Came here as a V.B. on June 22, 1895. Later went to Witley from whence he came back and was certified.
Suicidal or Dangerous (facts):   No.
Tendency to leave home:  

Hallucinations (observed before admission).
of Sight:   No.
of Hearing:   No.
of Taste:   No
of Smell:   No
of Common Sensation:   No

On Admission.

Presence or Absence of Bruises:   No bruises.
Tongue:   Furred.
Palate and Teeth:
Appetite:   Poor.
Bowels:   Regular.
Abdominal Viscera:  
Pelvic Viscera:  
Urine:   1020, faintly alkaline, no albumen, deposit of ??
Heart, Pulse, etc.:   Normal.
Lungs:   Normal.
Eyes and Sight:   Normal.
Pupils:   Normal.
Ears and Hearing:   Normal.
Taste and Smell:   Normal.
Common Sensation:   Normal.
Dynamometer:   Normal.
Handwriting:  
Walk:   Nothing peculiar.
Reflexes:  
Temperature:  
Speech:   Foreign accent otherwise good.
Weight:  
Sleep:   Poor.
Dreams:  
Reaction to questions:   Good.
Memory, Recent:   Good.
Remote:   Good.
Delusions, Exaltation:   No.
Depression:  
Delusions related to digestion or food:   No.
Poison:   No.
Obstruction:   No.
Hallucinations of Taste and Smell:   No.
Hallucinations of Sight:   No.
Hallucinations of Hearing:   Yes.
Hallucinations of Common Sensation:   No.
Suicidal or Homicidal:  
Diagnosis:   Acute Mania.
Prognosis:   Fair.

A white haired and brisk looking man who has been a Voluntary Boarder for the past month. He went down to Witley but got noisy and uncontrollable and had to be brought back – He answers questions well – Is very restless – He misinterprets acts, such as, people moving their hands about, into their ‘shadowing’ him and also when a patient was having a bath thought he suggested an unnatural offence. Says he hears loud whisperings at night but not voices. Cannot detect any other hallucinations – Is untidy, tears up his clothes, doesn’t wash or dress himself – Refused food on one or two occasions but drank it after a lot of persuasion. Doesn’t sleep well.
Aug. 6 – Is very confused, says he feels as if his head were going round – Is untidy and destructive – Still stares vacantly at nothing – Excited at times.
Aug. 13 – About the same, dirty in habits, sleep poor.
Aug. 20 – Somewhat quieter and not so destructive.
Aug. 30 – Condition about the same.
Sep. 17 – Is clean and quiet and well behaved. Sleeps little.
Oct. 31 – Yesterday in a slight scuffle with attendant McCarthy patient sprained his left thumb. He is very destructive and mischievous and thinks all the attendants and especially Mr. Slattery are against him.
Nov. 10 – Still destructive. Is always making accusations against attendant which on being enquired into are false.
Dec. 10 – Is improving and is upstairs in No. 4 again. Still makes accusations.
Dec. 28 – Today he told me that his wife was against him and had worked against him for years. The last two days he has been in bed with a bad cold.
1896.
Jan. 20 – Is very confused still at times and makes accusations which are devoid of fact. On Jan. 18th told Dr. Hyslop that a wrong notice was given him on admission re right to see Magistrate; all the Counter foils were shown him but he evidently did not believe it.
Jan. 24 – This morning he told me that Mr. Bayot went round the Hospital yesterday and tried to pass himself off as a Commissioner in Lunacy but that he was really Mat Müller. He told me that this place was one mass of delusions and frauds. That we make suggestions and that he is bound to do them. That when he does things that he ought not to do (and he owns to this) that we make him do it. He also tells me that we try to make certain patients worse and that he is one of them.
Feb. 10 – Is not so hostile. Quiet. Health good.
Mar. 10 – Has been worse lately. Refusing food and has had to be fed with tube. Very confused.
Apr. 20 – Very confused and quiet. Walks about alone.
May 6 – Does not improve. Health fair.
Jun. 6 – Has greatly improved lately. He reads and employs himself and says that he quite remembers destroying things but that he did not know at the time that he was doing so and never intended to do any damage. Also the ideas about planet[?] and ‘suggestion’ have left.

 Jun. 24 – 3 month extension.
Jul. 30 – Is not much brighter or better. Occupies himself with reading all day.
Aug. 10 – Has greatly improved. Plays regularly in band and employs himself all day.
Aug. 25 – To Witley.
Oct. 20 – From Witley - He is bright and cheerful and says that he feels well, is glad to get home again.
Oct. 21 – One month’s leave of absence.
Nov. 18 – One month’s extension of leave.
Dec. 16 – One month’s extension of leave.
1897.
Jan. 3 – Patient returned to the hospital today and as he seemed confused he was detained and his wife was wired to.
Jan. 28 – He is much more confused again. Thinks that the world maybe over-balanced at any time. Is destructive at times.
Mar. 3 – To the incurable list.