VPRS 7419 Case Books of Female Patients

From at least 1845 and the proclamation of An Act for the Regulation of the Care and Treatment of Lunatics (8 & 9 Vic c.100), each asylum was required to maintain a casebook of patients. The book was to be kept in such form as the Governor in Council was from time to time to direct. As soon as possible after the admission of any patient and periodically thereafter, the following details were to be entered into the casebook:the mental state and bodily condition of every patient on admissionthe history of his/her case recorded from time to time while he/she continued to be a patient in the asyluma correct description of the medicine and other remedies prescribed for the treatment of his/her disorderand in the case of death an exact account of the autopsy (if any) of the patient.Information recorded in the case histories includes personal and medical details as follows: date of admission; admission number; name and address of nearest relative; by whom brought to the asylum; previous residence; age and sex of patient; whether married, widowed or single; if any family; occupation; habits of life; form of insanity; duration of present attack; if disordered before/if disorder hereditary; specific signs of insanity; if suicidal; if dangerous and destructive; bodily condition; case notes; and a description of the medicine and other remedies prescribed for the treatment of his/her disorder. The Case Books usually record whether a patient was transferred elsewhere, discharged or died in custody. A copy of the post-mortem report was sometimes included in cases of death.In later years the content of the Case Books was altered slightly. Reference was made to the admission number of the patient and a photograph of the patient on admission was often included. Additional information such as extracts from the required medical certificates and a copy of the Medical Superintendent's report on the mental and physical condition of the patient were often incorporated and additional space was provided for recording the history of each patient.These books were to be regularly inspected by an Inspector or other officer appointed under the provisions of the prevailing legislation. It was expected that a full account of the mental and physical condition of the patient would be entered in the casebook on admission of the patient with a further note to be made at the end of each month at least for the first six months and subsequently a full note every six months. However such thorough and accurate notes were not always maintained.In 1912 the format of case histories was changed from bound Case Books to a looseleaf folio format, known as Patient Clinical Notes. The new format facilitated the transfer of case histories with the patients when they were sent to other institutions. Patient Clinical Notes are registered as a separate series.Case Books of Female Patients - Kew CottagesEntries are arranged chronologically by date of admission. There is an index by patient surname at the front of each volume.The date of admission of the patient can also be obtained from:VPRS 7425 Nominal Register of Patients 1871-1906(this series covers Kew Asylum and the Children's Cottages)VPRS 7429 Annual Examination of Patients Register 1889-1906(this series covers both Kew Asylum and the Children's Cottages).This series consists of the Case Books of Female Patients at the Idiot Asylum Kew (also known as the Children's Cottages Kew). These Case Books were maintained separately from VPRS 7397 Case Books of Female Patients at the Kew Asylum. The Case Books in this series record the medical histories of patients admitted until June 1912 when the format of case histories was changed. However notes were added to some case histories until 1931.Volume one of this series is slightly different from the Case Books of other asylums. It's format is very similar, however the function of the Case Book was adapted to suit the function of the Children's Cottages. Rather than assuming the patient was suffering from an attack of insanity, the Case Book was adapted to record signs of imbecility. For example, it records whether the patient can walk, run, read, write, sing, or imitate. Volume two resumes the same format as the Case Books from the other large Asylums.For details of the case history of patients admitted after June 1912 see VPRS 7448 Clinical Notes of Female Patients 1912-1921.