NRS-23968 | Medical case books [Rydalmere Hospital]

Full description

These volumes were kept as a record of each patient's history under the provisions of the Lunacy Act of 1878 and provides a chronological record of each patient's progress and treatment in the hospital from the time of admission until discharge, transfer to another hospital, or death. Symptoms of physical and mental disorders are described in detail at the time of admission.

Entries in these volumes are arranged chronologically by date of admission. The patient's physical and mental condition before, and at the time of admission, is described and the final entry for each case notes whether the patient was discharged, transferred to another hospital or died. Other details given include age, weight, social condition, number of children, occupation, nativity, residence, religion, form of mental disorder, supposed cause, duration of attack, previous attacks, date of last admission (if any), treatment and summary of medical certificate. Notes are then made at irregular intervals on a patient's behaviour and condition while he remains in the hospital.

Medical case book volumes I-V contains two folios per patient, while Medical case book volumes VI-IX contain one folio per patient. Likewise, Medical case book volumes VI-IX contain an index at the front of the volume. One Medical case book is a continuation of entries from medical case books VII and IX and contains entries for two patients only.

This series is indexed by NRS-23969 Index to admission registers and medical case books [Rydalmere Hospital] and NRS-23967 Index to medical case books [Rydalmere Hospital].