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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    Reprinted from TJie Journal of Mental Science, Oct., 1886. 5> CASES OF SUICIDAL INTENT IN CONGENITAL IMBECILES* By C. S. W. COBBOLD, M.D., (Medical Superintendent of the Earlswood Asylum. At Earlswood Asylum during the past four years, at least six cases have come under my observation in which suicide has been definitely contemplated by congenital imbeciles. I am not aware that such cases have been previously described. In most of my cases suicide was actually attempted, while in each of the others some very definite step was taken by the patient as a preliminary to the intended act of self-destruction. I proceed at once briefly to record the cases, offering also a few remarks upon each :— D. W. had had incipient phthisis for many years, and was always a bad sleeper. At the age of 37 he was a useful helper in the infirmary ward, able to amuse himself by reading the papers, and was fond of studying murders and tragedies generally. He had been imbecile tlfrom birth, his condition being ascribed to a fright sustained by his 'jmother during pregnancy. One of his brothers died of epilepsy !(there were at least five in the family), but nothing further of import- ance appears in the family history. Patient was of a brooding dis- position, simple and childish in manner, always smiled happily when ^addressed, but replied always as briefly as possible. He was uniformly gentle with the children in the ward, and was fond (without my knowledge) of several cats which had come to be a nuisance in the hospital. I found it necessary to order that all the cats except one should be got rid of. Before all the removals had been effected, one Sunday morning in February, 1883, D. W. was reported to be missing, and had been seen leaving the building. I then first learned that he had been vexed about the cats, and had threatened to make a hole |n a pond. Diligent search was made, and the patient was brought in by two countrymen after nine hours' absence. He had run away with the intention of drowning himself, but had not the courage to carry it out. He had run and walked aimlessly along the roads i until perfectly exhausted, and had then turned of his own accord to j come back to the asylum before he was accosted by the men who after- wards helped him on his return journey.. He was much exhausted, b,'t cried passionately about the cats, and bogged me to give him some i Read at tho Annual Meeting of the British Medical Association at Brighton, ' Angost, 1886.