The first annual report of the North Wales Mental Hospital Management Committee for the period 5th July - 31st december, 1949.

  • North Wales Mental Hospital Management Committee.
Date:
[1950?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The first annual report of the North Wales Mental Hospital Management Committee for the period 5th July - 31st december, 1949. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (5) Treatment of General Paralysis of the Insane- —The following methods are in use :— (a) Inoculation with Malaria. (b) Penicillin. r (c) Specific antisyphilitic drugs. The following table shows the number treated by various physical methods during 1949 :— Male. Female. Total. Electric Convulsive Therapy ... . . ... 194 245 439 Curare modified E.C.T. ... ... ... . . 13 9 22 Deep Insulin . . 27 18 45 Modified Insulin . . ... 93 60 153 Continuous Narcosis ... ... . . ... 10 9 19 Narco-analysis ... ... . . ... 13 8 21 Ether abreactions . ... . . ... 4 — 4 Alcohol aversion treatment ... . . ... 5 — 5 Prefrontal Leucotomv . . . ... 8 4 12 Leucotomy Cases.—The following is an analysis of the re- suits in all cases operated upon between April, 1942. and December, 1949:— Male. Female. Total. Total number of cases . 77 52 129 Discharged “Recovered” or ‘ Tm- proved” . . . . ... 42 19 61 (54.5%) (36.5%) (47%) Improved in Hospital ... . ... 12 15 27 (15.6%) (28.8%) (21%) Unchanged . . ... 21 13 34 (27.3%) (25%) (27%) Worse . . ... 0 1 1 Died (Operation a contributorv fac- tor) ... . . . ... 2 4 6 (4.6%) Subsequently Relapsed . 6 3 9 (7%) Sixty-eight per cent, of the cases operated upon have sub- stantially benefited, while 47% have benefited to the extent of being able to leave Hospital. Of the 42 men discharged, 23 are considered as being com¬ plete recoveries as shown by their capacity to earn their own living and fit normally into society. Whilst it is more difficult to find adequate criteria for full recovery in women, the re¬ sults are probably much the same. In view of the fact that the operation is only performed on cases which have failed to respond to all other forms of treatment and when the outlook for recovery is otherwise considered hopeless, these results are felt to be very satisfactory. Occupational Therapy.—Miss Cooper, who joined us this year, has taken charge of the Occupational Therapy on the Female side of the Hospital. She has the help of a part-time