Second annual report of the Committee of Visitors of the joint lunatic asylum for the counties of Monmouth, Hereford, Brecon, Radnor, and city of Hereford.

  • United Counties' Lunatic Asylum (Abergavenny, Wales)
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second annual report of the Committee of Visitors of the joint lunatic asylum for the counties of Monmouth, Hereford, Brecon, Radnor, and city of Hereford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/34 (page 12)
    The deaths during the year have amounted to 37, viz. 20 males and 17 females ; 19 of the deaths occurred in persons advanced in life, varying from 60 to 78 years of age; and the average duration of life in the whole number was 54 years. The state of bodily health of the patients admitted during the year was “ good,55 or “ tolerably good,55 in 44 cases; and in the remaining 66 cases it was “ feeble” or “bad,55 and complicated with serious organic diseases. There now remains in the asylum 260 patients, viz, 110 males and 150 females. No case of sudden death has occurred during the year nor have there been any accidents of a grave nature. One serious attempt to commit suicide was made by an epi¬ leptic girl. Previous to the attempt she had not shown any symptoms of a suicidal tendency, aud was placed with a quiet class of patients. On the evening of the attempt she had watched the attendant of the corridor cutting the bread and butter for the evening’s tea, and shortly afterwards stole unperceived into the attendant’s room, and got possession of the knife—a common case knife. She was observed coming out of the room in a furtive manner and followed; but, before she could be overtaken, had succeeded in inflicting a deep wound in the throat. There was considerable hoemorrhage, but the principal blood vessels had escaped injury, and in a few weeks the wound healed. About three months after¬ wards the sane patient (who has still a strong suicidal propensity) attempted to burn herself by leaping on to the fire, but was observed and rescued, without having received any injury. Several cases of determined abstinence from food have occurred, and in two cases it was requisite to have re-