ID# 57:
Field worker report on dementia praecox (schizophrenia) at King's Park Hospital, by Laura Teitelbaum
Date:
1918
Pages: (1|2|3|4|5|6|7)
Source:
American Philosophical Society, ERO, MSC77

Field worker report on dementia praecox (schizophrenia) at King's Park Hospital, by Laura Teitelbaum

[obscured]-3 "My brain, clear my brain." She would lie in bed for hours crying and screaming, "My head, my head." Then she became violent and would tear things to shreds. She beat her sister's muff to pieces. Finally, before being committed, she imagined herself the mouthpiece of the Savior. "The Saviour says you must get up and work" she commanded the household early one morning. "The sun calls." Then she would point to her father and cry out, "I am suffering for your sins. Get down on your knees and pray. I shall get you out of hell. You must let alone that liquor. You are stepping over the line. I am suffering for your sins. Don't drag mama down with you." Later she would declare herself the mother of two or three children. At one time she thought she was about to give birth to one. She mistook the minister's child for her own, and wanted to take care of it. Her ravings became worse and she was finally committed. When she was paroled she seemed quiet just as she had always been. At first she went about her work as before. The one day her mother found that she had eaten up all the fruit and consequently was very ill. At times she would tear perfectly good clothes and make doll's dresses. One day she gave half a platter of beefsteak to the little dog. A sore toe developed and her entire foot and leg became inflamed. She would let no doctor or anyone else come near her, nor let herself be treated. The infection became worse. Finally she was again taken to the hospital when it was impossible to keep her quiet or attend to her foot, and after she had run out one morning half clothed. The family physician operated on her clitoris in an effort to quiet her. Neighborhood. The surroundings are good. That section is clean and well kept.

Copyright 1999-2004: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; American Philosophical Society; Truman State University; Rockefeller Archive Center/Rockefeller University; University of Albany, State University of New York; National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument; University College, London; International Center of Photography; Archiv zur Geschichte der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin-Dahlem; and Special Collections, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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