Patients - Explore Bethlem

Name of Patient.

William Reeves Allen

Gender.

Male

Age.

24

Admitted.

July 9th, 1895

Residence at or immediately previous to date.

31 Sydenham Park, S.E.

Rank, Profession or Occupation.

Clerk

Degree of Education.

Good

Religious Persuasion.

Church of England

Married, Single or Widowed.

Single

Number of Children.

None

Age of youngest Child.

-

Whether the first Attack.

Yes

Age on first Attack.

24

Duration of existing Attack.

3 months

How many previous Attacks.

None

Confined in any Lunatic Asylum.

No

Where.

Nowhere

When.

-

And how long.

-

Supposed cause of Insanity.

Journeying from Johannesburg to Bulawayo and back, intense heat and disappointment of his success

Predisposing.

Exciting.

Disappointment

Whether Suicidal.

No?

Whether dangerous to others, and in what way.

No

State of Bodily Health.

Fair

Whether of sober habits.

Yes

Relatives afflicted with Insanity.

No

1st Medical Certificate.         William Erskine.
a. Facts indicating Insanity observed by myself at the time of Examination, viz.—
He suffers from various delusions and says he is being hypnotised by several individuals and requires police protection. He implies that people are whispering and talking about him and that the only place where he could be safe would be in a cell at the police station.

b. Facts communicated by others.
Mr. John A. Allen, 31 Sydenham Park Hill, his father states that he is suffering from insomnia and that he is morose, at times refuses food and suspects that he is being poisoned. He made an attempt to leap through a window yesterday.
July 9th, 1895

2nd Medical Certificate.        Edward Wolferdin Collins
a. Facts indicating Insanity observed by myself at the time of Examination, viz.—
He hears voices, considers himself constantly under hypnotic influence and control: became exceedingly violent and made a dash for the window 20 ft from the ground and would have thrown himself out endangering his life had he not been forcibly prevented from doing so, smashing the window of plate glass in his struggles.

b. Facts communicated by others.
July 9th, 1895

Discharged.

Left the Hospital.

Died.

Relation of Informant to Patient:   Mother.

Family History.
Insanity or other Diseases of Nervous System:   None.
Phthsis:   No.
Alcoholism:   No.
Diabetes:   No.
Other Diseases:   Gout. Father had Rheumatic Fever.
Age and Sex of Children:   None.

Previous History.
Neuroses in Patient:   Rather nervous and sensitive.
Acute Rheumatism or Chorea:   No.
Fits – epileptic or hysterical:   No.
Fits – infantile:   No.
Fevers, &c.:   Scarlet Fever at 13. Measles. Whooping Cough.
Syphilis:  
Other Diseases:   No.
Sober:   Yes.
Number and nature of previous attacks:   None.
Injuries or shocks:
Thrown from waggon in Africa: again above 3 weeks ago.

Present Attack.
Left home in S. Africa in August. Arrived at Johannesburg in September, couldn’t get a situation, had a lot of rough work and bad food – About November his diary became less cheerful. He got a little ill here and in January 1895 was sent home. Here he got more depressed, ?? being on board and one man died which seemed to prey on his mind. Arrived in England March.
Time of earliest symptoms:   About Easter.
Nature of earliest symptoms:  
Noticed that he was strange, thought he was being watched, thought he had done someone a wrong, sleep bad, didn’t care about his food. Thought later on that Dr. Ferrier had hypnotised him – A ?? got somewhat excited when thwarted.
Progress of case:
Suicidal or Dangerous (facts):   No.
Tendency to leave home:   Says he can’t get well till he crosses the water.

Hallucinations (observed before admission).
of Sight:   No.
of Hearing:   Yes, hears voices in his head.
of Taste:   No
of Smell:   No
of Common Sensation:   No

On Admission.

Presence or Absence of Bruises:  
Cut on right wrist having broken a window.
Tongue:   Clean
Palate and Teeth:
Appetite:   Moderate.
Bowels:   Fairly regular.
Abdominal Viscera:   Normal.
Pelvic Viscera:   Normal.
Urine:  
Heart, Pulse, etc.:   Normal.
Lungs:   Normal.
Eyes and Sight:   Apparently normal.
Pupils:   Equal and act to light and accommodation.
Ears and Hearing:   Apparently normal.
Taste and Smell:   Apparently normal.
Common Sensation:   Apparently normal.
Dynamometer:  
Handwriting:  
Walk:   Normal.
Reflexes:   Knee jerks brisk.
Temperature:  
Speech:   Normal.
Weight:  
Sleep:   Fair.
Dreams:  
Reaction to questions:   Fair.
Memory, Recent:  
Remote:  
Delusions, Exaltation:  
Depression:  
Delusions related to digestion or food:   No.
Poison:   No.
Obstruction:   No.
Hallucinations of Taste and Smell:  
Hallucinations of Sight:  
Hallucinations of Hearing:   Yes, hears voices.
Hallucinations of Common Sensation: 
Suicidal or Homicidal:  
Diagnosis:   Melancholia.
Prognosis:   Fair.

Included in the patients notes is an hand-written letter by John Allan dated the 10th of July 1895; it reads as follows:

A memorandum, Wednesday, 10 July ’95.
The young man – Allan – did not sleep Thursday, Friday, Saturday last and a little on Sunday night only except for the briefest periods at a time. He was unwilling to take anything to promote sleep.
On Saturday a fresh Doctor was called in to try and induce him to take a draught at bed time, but it did not do – and he had no assistance from any such medicine. But this doctor had once before seen him and he advised a male attendant, and changing his residence to the country or seaside, and removing every week to a fresh place. Arrangements were made to go to Dover. Male attendant to meet en route, but the son got to late for train. He had wished to go to Dover. He was no doubt disappointed.
He determined to go by himself saying his mother and the attendant could come after him next day.
The father felt that in his state – greatly determented by the want of sleep as aforesaid – he must first get a good sound sleep, and he was persuaded and knew that he should, if he were well he’d go on Tuesday morning. But he was obstinate and no entreaty prevailed. The ‘new’ Doctor was sent for but that did not prevail. He was prevented getting out at the door of the room. Well he said I will go by the window which was open wide. As a school boy he had entered that room off the top of the stone steps 11 or 12 by the small balcony – rather than wait the servant’s coming up to open the door.
He was in act of getting out – i.e. he had got on to the small balcony in a semi recumbent position, when two of us laid hold of him and prevented his going further.
Then he called the police saying we were assaulting him and he struggled, breaking the window glass with his left hand in his efforts to get free. He looked to the Police to protect him from assault.
The father felt, after that, but especially after his refusal to take medicine to promote sleep, that he must be put into medical care, as no one could be sure what might occur.
Still, he shaved himself. Even on the Monday, though of a night the razor was taken away. His great wish was to get well even up to the last. He agreed to a male attendant in future at Dover etc. etc. – but as he said – he must be an “honest” man.

John Allan.

Patient states he was hypnotised before coming here and that there are some doctors who can read his thoughts. Does not think he ought to be here and does not know why he should be here. Has two superficial wounds on his right wrist which were caused by his breaking a window and trying to get out. This he says was quite an accident and will not admit that it was done with any intent. Hears voices but will not describe or state what they say. Says he sleeps fairly and only dreams occasionally. Appetite moderate. Tongue clean. Bowels fairly regular. Pupils equal and act to light and accommodation. Knee jerks brisk.
Has two skin wounds on right wrist both dressed with  acid lotion.
Jul. 16 – Wounds on wrist are healing. Mental condition remains as before.
Jul. 23 - Takes no interest in anything. Eats and sleeps well but remains depressed.
Jul. 30 – Still depressed without any practical change.
Aug. 6 – Remains depressed and is very reticent. Solitary in his habits.
Aug. 13 – Today patient took the parrot out of its cage and rang its neck and then threw it out of the window. He gave no reason for what he had done.
His friends are going to remove him to Claybury Hall.
Aug. 14 – Discharged uncured (special reasons).