From Glasgow to Newmachar, Aberdeenshire.

[joette]

I was ill for a long time without diagnosis before it was picked up by a switched on new GP who actually read my family medical history-there is pernicious aneamia running through both sides of the family & on the paternal/maternal sides of both.
Meloncholia was ascribed to many psychiatric illnesses-Post-Natal depression,schizophrenia etc.
I was depressed off & on for years -mainly because I felt so bad physically & frustrated I couldn't quite catch my thoughts a lot of the time nor carry a full working life & a social life.So I would work Monday-Friday & spend my evenings weekends in bed or resting at home.My memory was poor & I had tingling & numbness in my extremities.I thought I had MS & as a typical ex-Nurse diagnosed myself.
It was such a relief to be told I wasn't going mad,that the blood results had been in my files for a long time & that after a course of B12 tablets & then the 3 monthly injections I feel like a new woman.My Granny always claimed she was smarter at 90 than she had been at 21 & she did seem to be able to tackle things she had not before-she became quite the needlewoman a task that had been left for my Mother to do.
I am so grateful to modern medicine & just wish G-Grandpa had had the chance that I've had.My Auntie Ruby would not have had to go into an orphanage & my Mother may have had the opportunity to know her Grandfather.Raw liver was the only help he was offered & Guiness which as a strict TT he refused until he was really ill.
Genetics are a weird thing and I know P.A. has a strong genetic component in it.

[elizaga]

Kingseat has been mentioned on this forum at least once before. The information in that thread is old and may be outdated.
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1745

There’s mention in Parliamentary Papers “1914-16 [Cd. 7944] First annual report of the General Board of Control for Scotland” that Aberdeen District Asylum at Kingseat, Superintendent Dr. Alexander, had one female private patient, 257 male pauper patients, and 236 female pauper patients.
Alan

Alan, can the above information be accessed online?

Elizaga

[elizaga]

Genetics are a weird thing and I know P.A. has a strong genetic component in it.

Yes indeed, Joette. I did not know pernicious anaemia caused so many symptoms. My mother was considered by her family to be a hypocondriac but perhaps she was not. She was much older when diagnosed with pernicious anaemia, I don't know if it developed when she was older or she had it when younger. Does a straightforward blood test for amaemia pick it up?

Pleased for you that you were eventually diagnosed and now feel so much better. It must feel like a new lease of life.

By the way, how do you add your family history research interests to posts?

All the best

Eliza

[AndrewP]

By the way, how do you add your family history research interests to posts?

Hi Eliza,

At the top of the forum, click on User Control Panel, then Profile, then Edit Signature. Type the text you want to appear at the foot of your posts in the box there, then Submit.

All the best,

AndrewP

[elizaga]

Thanks Andrew. Got it now.

Eliza

[Currie]

Hello Eliza,

This is the site for Parliamentary Papers however it is only available for Institutional subscription e.g. library, university etc. http://parlipapers.chadwyck.co.uk/marketing/index.jsp

It is included in the package of licensed resources available to residents of Scotland via the National Library of Scotland. https://auth.nls.uk/ldc/browse.cfm?by=t ... stLetter=H

As far as I know you can start accessing the resource as soon as you register.

Search for “Aberdeen District Asylum” including the quotes, although there may be some references to “Kingseat Asylum”.

All the best,
Alan

[elizaga]

Thank you for the information, Alan. I have registered with the National Library of Scotland, just awaiting the email to confirm and give log in details i.e. password.

Best wishes
Eliza

[elizaga]

I thought those of you who responded to my posts might be interested in an update. Since last writing about my great-aunt Helen Gilmour (Nellie) who died in October 1917 at Kingseat Asylum, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire I have contacted Fiona Watson, Grampian Archives (NHS Grampian) and she wrote back giving me some information. Nellie was admitted in January 1915 so she was there just under 3 years. Along with another 14 female patients she had been transferred from Gartloch Asylum near Glasgow due to congestion and accommodation problems. So now I know why she was up in Aberdeenshire.

Nellie was initially admitted to Gartloch in 1904 when she was 18/19 and was discharged after 6 months. Apparently she kept well for 5 years and then was readmitted in 1909, remaining there for 5-6 years until her transfer to Kingseat.

There's not much about her actual mental condition. The volume containing her case notes was said to be too large and unwieldy to fit the copier. That is a disappointment. I had hoped to learn more about her illness and final years before death. Although a few snippets were copied from it. Nellie's physical health began to fail in spring 1917 and in October she collapsed and died. The actual cause is not given. I only have what is on her death registration "exhaustion from chronic resistive melancholia over 7 years".

Her first "attack" is recorded as 1904. Then in 1909 a few words saying her job in a factory failed. "New employment. Made a noise at work and was sent home and readmitted to Gartloch."

Fiona sent a copy of the Admission register which was fairly basic and some questions not filled in. Against "Form of mental disorder" it said PDA with no indication of what this was. Fiona said it seemed to be some form of dementia. Today, dementia is age related, Helen was too young, and today "melancholia" is is a type of depression. But I have read of a condition in the past referred to as "Melancholic dementia". What that may have been over 100 years ago I don't know. Possibly manic depression now called bipolar disorder, or schitzophrenia........

Fiona has referred me to Alistair Tough the archivist in Glasgow who may be able to give me more information concerning Nellie's admissions to Gartloch. Whether or not I can have copies of her case notes remains to be seen but I would be very pleased indeed to have whatever information possible. The Gartoch case notes may well have been transferred to Kingseat, but there may be Gartloch Admission registers and Fiona said there should be the petitions to the sheriff 1904 and 1909 signed by two doctors and giving information.

Fiona Watson is sending me a copy of the petition to the Sheriff for Nellie's transfer to Kingseat, which hopefully is now in the post.

It is so good to have some solid facts, and it would be great if I do receive more information from Alistair Tough. I shall contact him after the above mentioned copy arrives from Fiona.

My thanks to everyone who responded to my post and for your helpful information, very much appreciated.

Best wishes

Eliza

[Currie]

Hello Eliza,

Thanks for the update.

The 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica has a definition for Melancholia that may be worth reading. I think this has been OCR’d so there may be errors in spelling and formatting. http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/MEC_MIC/MELANCHOLIA.html

All the best,
Alan

[elizaga]

Hello Alan

Thanks for that link. It is the most comprehensive description of the condition "melancholia" that I have so far read. There are words there used in the death registration description of cause of death. Exhaustion/chronic/resistive. It also gives me a better understanding of why Nellie's physical health began to decline in spring 1917 and her death from exhaustion in October that year.

I obviously underestimated the condition "melancholia", thinking of it as a state of sadness and deep depression rather than the serious illness this article describes.

But the initials on the KIngseat Admission register PDA are a mystery. Fiona Watson said it seemed to be some sort of dementia. I sort of dismissed this, associating dementia with older age groups. Although there is early onset dementia which can strike people as young as the forties age group.

However I have also been reading about a condition called "Dementia Praecox" which semed to affect young people, usually beginning after puberty. In the late teens and early adulthood. Today it would be diagnosed as Schizophrenia.

Hopefully I may learn more about Nellie's mental illness from the Glasgow Gartloch Asylum records. Whatever it was, resistive melancholia, dementia praecox/schizophrenia or manic depression, all of which can have some link with childhood trauma, Nellie was obviously a very sick and unhappy girl.

Thanks again Alan.

All the best

Eliza