Cases of suicidal intent in congenital imbeciles / by C.S.W. Cobbold.

  • Cobbold, C. S. W.
Date:
[1886]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cases of suicidal intent in congenital imbeciles / by C.S.W. Cobbold. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    poison and finibh him at once. I did my best to soothe him, and; placed him under the care of a special attendant in the first-class patients' room. In a few days he was quite cheerful again, had, recovered from his stiffness, and said he would never run away again' even if six of his cats were killed. He returned to his work in the hospital wards. Two years later, February, 1885, he was again mentally unsettle J owing to a nurse leaving to whom he had been attached. Being care-1 fully watched and kindly treated he soon settled down again to his ] usual work. In January, 1886, he was distinctly melancholic for four days, and absolutely refused food for 48 hours ; he threatened suicide, would not I reply when addressed, and did not sleep except under the influence of j drugs. This time there was no external cause for the depression;? D. W. admitted this to me himself when he had again become quite} cheerful. He was soon afterwards removed to a county asylum. Remarks.—What strikes one most forcibly in this case is the slightness of the motive which induced a man of nearly 40 yearsjj of age to decide that his life was no longer worth living. The loss of a cat was absolutely the sole cause of this man's unbear- able misery. This is a good example of that want of a due sense of the relative importance of things which is common to- all humanity, but is most markedly exemplified in the insane. Then, again, one notes the feebleness of will and purpose whichj prevented the patient from either carrying out his original design or substituting anything definite in its place. He had.] sufficient money with him to reach his home, but he made noJ attempt to do so. S. S., aged 29, imbecile. The mental condition is attributed by hii\ friends to the shock of a scald at six years of age. Says 11 + 7=17. Breaks down at repeating five figures, often ail four; he can read and write fairly well, and is useful in doing light J errands. He is rather quick-tempered when teased, and will therl become abusive, but not violent unless interfered with. In July, 1886| another patient had been teasing him and calling him names. S. S! went at once to the brook on the farm, divested himself of all hill clothing except his shirt, walked into shallow water and dipped hi.l head into the water. Having had his ardour partially cooled hll walked out of the water again, but afterwards went in once more mm repeated the operation as before. By this time he had been observed and was quickly brought back to the asylum. He afterwards stateJ that he had intended to commit suicide. When brought back bM told me as his excuse that R. W. had called him Mr. Dirty-Case ; J he then dropped on his knees and prayed impulsively for forgivenes 1 with one breath to the Almighty, to myself, and to the steward. if