161
CASE OF HOMICIDAL INSANITY.
Our attention lias been called to certain statements made by Dr. Davey as to the action of the Commissioners in Lunacy " Eeminiscences of in the case of J. P., mentioned in his paper, in the last which number of this appeared Lunacy Practice," Journal. Some explanation of the statements made appears requisite, and we therefore revert to the case. Speaking of the case of Dr. Pownall, who shortly after his discharge from Northwoods murdered a servant-maid, Dr. Davey " Though it was given in evidence that J. P. was, to all says: a few hours of the sad and fatal appearance, quite well within was the whole of the blame sought to be attached casualty, yet The responsibility was shirked by all to it visited on myself. to do with J. P.?by the relatives and near had who parties friends, who resisted the employment of an attendant, and who moreover supplied J. P. with his razors ; by the Commissioners, who, after the murder of the poor girl, raised a strong objection manner aud circumstances of J. P.'s discharge ; and by the Visitors, who declined to move in the case in any way, either before or after his discharge from Northwoods, though they failed not to give expression to very unqualified terms of disapproval after the sad event." This unfortunate case is noticed fully in the 14th Keport
to the
of the Commissioners in Lunacy (18G0). Dr. Pownall had suffered from various attacks of mania between the years 1839 and 1859, in which latter year he was admitted as an inmate of Northwoods Asylum, suffering from well-marked homicidal insanity. Two months after his admission into Dr. Davey's Asylum, Dr. Pownall had so far temporarily improved, that intimation was forwarded by Dr. Davey to Mrs. Pownall, informing her that it would be desirable for arrangements to be made in anticipation of Dr. Pownall's return reply, stated that she could not do so homp. Mrs. Pownall, inher relatives and friends, and instructed without first consulting Mr. Ogilvie, of Bristol), to communicate a connection of hers fa with the Commissioners on the subject. A written statement, drawn up by Mrs. Pownall, was at the same time forwarded to them, recounting the previous history of the patient, and the The circumstances under which he was sent to Northwoods. and communications of the these case history Board, having PAET I.
YOL.
II.?NEW SERIES.
L
162
CASE
OF
HOMICIDAL INSANITY.
thus fully placed before tliem, instructed their secretary to write to Dr. Davey on the matter, and enclose the communications from Mrs. Pownall and Mr. 0 ail vie. The letter received by Dr. Davey from the Commissioners was as follows :? "
Office of Commissioners of
Lunacy,
"19 Whitehall
Place, S.W., " 4th June,
1859.
"
Sir,?The Commissioners have had under consideration the case of Dr. Pownall, a patient at Northwoods, and have received two communications from Mr. Ogilvie, and a statement drawn up by the wife of the patient, which I am directed to enclose, with a request that, as they are original, they may be returned to me when done with. " The Commissioners desire that you will have the goodness to lay these papers before the Visitors of Northwoods at the earliest opportunity. They consider Dr. Pownall's case to be of much importance, requiring, from its antecedents, one peculiar caution and care in dealing with it; and having regard
those antecedent circumstances, not referred to in Mrs. Pownall's statement?but which they will in confidence communicate for the information of the Visitors, should they require such knowledge for their guidance?the Commissioners see much danger in an immediate or unconditional discharge. They are of opinion that such discharge should be preceded by a leave of absence under the 86tli section of the Act, whereby the patient's power of self-control may be tested for some little time. " I am instructed to request, therefore, that as soon as you have shall brought the case before the Visitors of Northwoods, the goodness to communicate the results to this have will you to
"Iam, &c.,
Board.
(Signed)
"
Dr.
Davey, Northwoods."
"John
Foester, Secretary.
clearly shows that the Commissioners were of immediate or unconditional discharge was very hazardous, and advised that the discharge should be preceded by leave of absence under certificates, so enabling those who were to have charge of the patient to do so legally, and under proper surveillance and restraint. This proves conclusively, to our This letter
opinion that
an
mind, that no blame could rightly be attached to the Commissioners in Lunacy, who used every precaution in the case to
CASE
prevent
OP
HOMICIDAL
163
INSANITY.
they feared might ensue from allowing an uncondischarge. Commissioners, regarding the gravity of the case,
wliat
ditional The
from their usual course, and furnished the Visitors with particulars of the attacks.
departed
The history may be summed up as follows :?The patient had been confined as a lunatic, in 1839 and 1840, at Fishponds and Northwoods; but his mental condition was specially brought under the notice of the Commissioners in 1854, by the Eev. Mr. Guthrie, vicar of Calne, one of the visitors of a licensed house at Calne, of which Dr. Pownall was proprietor. In consequence of his having made a violent attack upon one of his patients, he was forthwith sent to Minister " House, Fulham, and was reported as being dangerous to After having remained there three weeks he was others." " discliax-ged recovered," and returned home. Three weeks after his return home lie shot one of his patients in the leg, and four days afterwards he was again placed in Munster House Asylum and reported as being " suicidal and dangerous to others." A few weeks after this he was transferred to Sussex House, Hammersmith, and discharged three months after this, " not improved." In January 1859 he became again depressed, and in March of that year he attempted suicide by taking chloroform. On April 1st he made a murderous attack upon his mother-in-law, and very nearly effected his purpose. On the following day he was again admitted into Northwoods. These facts were transmitted by the Commissioners to the Visitors on June 24, but notwithstanding they were made cognisant of all particulars, they made the following statement in their official books: " That they consider that the present movement of the Commissioners has evidently arisen entirely at the instigation of Mr. Ogilvie, any statement by whom it behoves the Visitors to receive with great caution." By this entry the opinion entertained by the Visitors was, that it was in consequence of a quarrel between the patient and Mr. Ogilvie that he was confined. It appears to us an extraordinary proceeding of the Visitors, after hearing all the particulars of this dangerous
homicidal lunatic. On August 10 Dr. Pownall was unconditionally discharged from Northwoods recovered, on the authority of liis wife, and On the 30tli he -murdered a sent to a medical man's house. L
2
164
CASE
OF
HOMICIDAL
INSANITY.
servant-maid by cutting lier throat with a razor. It appears to that in this case, if the cautions and suggestions made by the Commissioners had been properly attended to, such a frightful calamity might have been avoided. The medical man in whose house Dr. Pownall lodged was never informed of the previous homicidal and suicidal tendencies of the patient, and the attendant stated that his accompanying Dr. Pownall was a mere form, as he had been discharged as a sane man, and that he was not intended to have any authority or control over him. This, then, is the history of the case; and from a careful examination of the facts before us, we feel it our duty to state that the unconditional discharge of Dr. Pownall was strenuously opposed by the Commissioners, and in no way can they be held responsible for what ensued, especially as their instructions were not carried out. They gave proper cautionary advice for the management of the case, not only to Dr. Davey, but to the Visitors; but we cannot exonerate the latter from blame in the matter, as they evidently regarded the case in a wrong light; and if they had only acted in conjunction with the Commissioners, and agreed to their recommendation, all us
harm
might have
been
prevented.
HEREDITARY DISEASE.
[The
Editor is indebted to Mr. T. W. Nunn for the follow-
ing interesting cases, which strongly corroborate Dr. Winn's theory of the interchangeableness of all hereditary diseases :? In the family of M. one died insane, two are in asylums, another, although not in confinement, borders on insanity. The remaining two are dead?one (a sister) died of cancer. The eldest brother (now dead) married. He left six children? Two of the daughters died of con3 sons and, 3 daughters. at about twenty years of age. The remaining sumption the sons all well, and no symptoms of is delicate; daughter have insanity appeared amongst them. Mrs. B. had five children, and has been for nearly forty years insane. One of her sons died in childhood; her three daughters of consumption, and one son remains in good health.]
CASE OF HOMICIDAL INSANITY.
Our attention lias been called to certain statements made by Dr. Davey as to the action of the Commissioners in Lunacy " Eeminiscences of in the case of J. P., mentioned in his paper, in the last which number of this appeared Lunacy Practice," Journal. Some explanation of the statements made appears requisite, and we therefore revert to the case. Speaking of the case of Dr. Pownall, who shortly after his discharge from Northwoods murdered a servant-maid, Dr. Davey " Though it was given in evidence that J. P. was, to all says: a few hours of the sad and fatal appearance, quite well within was the whole of the blame sought to be attached casualty, yet The responsibility was shirked by all to it visited on myself. to do with J. P.?by the relatives and near had who parties friends, who resisted the employment of an attendant, and who moreover supplied J. P. with his razors ; by the Commissioners, who, after the murder of the poor girl, raised a strong objection manner aud circumstances of J. P.'s discharge ; and by the Visitors, who declined to move in the case in any way, either before or after his discharge from Northwoods, though they failed not to give expression to very unqualified terms of disapproval after the sad event." This unfortunate case is noticed fully in the 14th Keport
to the
of the Commissioners in Lunacy (18G0). Dr. Pownall had suffered from various attacks of mania between the years 1839 and 1859, in which latter year he was admitted as an inmate of Northwoods Asylum, suffering from well-marked homicidal insanity. Two months after his admission into Dr. Davey's Asylum, Dr. Pownall had so far temporarily improved, that intimation was forwarded by Dr. Davey to Mrs. Pownall, informing her that it would be desirable for arrangements to be made in anticipation of Dr. Pownall's return reply, stated that she could not do so homp. Mrs. Pownall, inher relatives and friends, and instructed without first consulting Mr. Ogilvie, of Bristol), to communicate a connection of hers fa with the Commissioners on the subject. A written statement, drawn up by Mrs. Pownall, was at the same time forwarded to them, recounting the previous history of the patient, and the The circumstances under which he was sent to Northwoods. and communications of the these case history Board, having PAET I.
YOL.
II.?NEW SERIES.
L
162
CASE
OF
HOMICIDAL INSANITY.
thus fully placed before tliem, instructed their secretary to write to Dr. Davey on the matter, and enclose the communications from Mrs. Pownall and Mr. 0 ail vie. The letter received by Dr. Davey from the Commissioners was as follows :? "
Office of Commissioners of
Lunacy,
"19 Whitehall
Place, S.W., " 4th June,
1859.
"
Sir,?The Commissioners have had under consideration the case of Dr. Pownall, a patient at Northwoods, and have received two communications from Mr. Ogilvie, and a statement drawn up by the wife of the patient, which I am directed to enclose, with a request that, as they are original, they may be returned to me when done with. " The Commissioners desire that you will have the goodness to lay these papers before the Visitors of Northwoods at the earliest opportunity. They consider Dr. Pownall's case to be of much importance, requiring, from its antecedents, one peculiar caution and care in dealing with it; and having regard
those antecedent circumstances, not referred to in Mrs. Pownall's statement?but which they will in confidence communicate for the information of the Visitors, should they require such knowledge for their guidance?the Commissioners see much danger in an immediate or unconditional discharge. They are of opinion that such discharge should be preceded by a leave of absence under the 86tli section of the Act, whereby the patient's power of self-control may be tested for some little time. " I am instructed to request, therefore, that as soon as you have shall brought the case before the Visitors of Northwoods, the goodness to communicate the results to this have will you to
"Iam, &c.,
Board.
(Signed)
"
Dr.
Davey, Northwoods."
"John
Foester, Secretary.
clearly shows that the Commissioners were of immediate or unconditional discharge was very hazardous, and advised that the discharge should be preceded by leave of absence under certificates, so enabling those who were to have charge of the patient to do so legally, and under proper surveillance and restraint. This proves conclusively, to our This letter
opinion that
an
mind, that no blame could rightly be attached to the Commissioners in Lunacy, who used every precaution in the case to
CASE
prevent
OP
HOMICIDAL
163
INSANITY.
they feared might ensue from allowing an uncondischarge. Commissioners, regarding the gravity of the case,
wliat
ditional The
from their usual course, and furnished the Visitors with particulars of the attacks.
departed
The history may be summed up as follows :?The patient had been confined as a lunatic, in 1839 and 1840, at Fishponds and Northwoods; but his mental condition was specially brought under the notice of the Commissioners in 1854, by the Eev. Mr. Guthrie, vicar of Calne, one of the visitors of a licensed house at Calne, of which Dr. Pownall was proprietor. In consequence of his having made a violent attack upon one of his patients, he was forthwith sent to Minister " House, Fulham, and was reported as being dangerous to After having remained there three weeks he was others." " discliax-ged recovered," and returned home. Three weeks after his return home lie shot one of his patients in the leg, and four days afterwards he was again placed in Munster House Asylum and reported as being " suicidal and dangerous to others." A few weeks after this he was transferred to Sussex House, Hammersmith, and discharged three months after this, " not improved." In January 1859 he became again depressed, and in March of that year he attempted suicide by taking chloroform. On April 1st he made a murderous attack upon his mother-in-law, and very nearly effected his purpose. On the following day he was again admitted into Northwoods. These facts were transmitted by the Commissioners to the Visitors on June 24, but notwithstanding they were made cognisant of all particulars, they made the following statement in their official books: " That they consider that the present movement of the Commissioners has evidently arisen entirely at the instigation of Mr. Ogilvie, any statement by whom it behoves the Visitors to receive with great caution." By this entry the opinion entertained by the Visitors was, that it was in consequence of a quarrel between the patient and Mr. Ogilvie that he was confined. It appears to us an extraordinary proceeding of the Visitors, after hearing all the particulars of this dangerous
homicidal lunatic. On August 10 Dr. Pownall was unconditionally discharged from Northwoods recovered, on the authority of liis wife, and On the 30tli he -murdered a sent to a medical man's house. L
2
164
CASE
OF
HOMICIDAL
INSANITY.
servant-maid by cutting lier throat with a razor. It appears to that in this case, if the cautions and suggestions made by the Commissioners had been properly attended to, such a frightful calamity might have been avoided. The medical man in whose house Dr. Pownall lodged was never informed of the previous homicidal and suicidal tendencies of the patient, and the attendant stated that his accompanying Dr. Pownall was a mere form, as he had been discharged as a sane man, and that he was not intended to have any authority or control over him. This, then, is the history of the case; and from a careful examination of the facts before us, we feel it our duty to state that the unconditional discharge of Dr. Pownall was strenuously opposed by the Commissioners, and in no way can they be held responsible for what ensued, especially as their instructions were not carried out. They gave proper cautionary advice for the management of the case, not only to Dr. Davey, but to the Visitors; but we cannot exonerate the latter from blame in the matter, as they evidently regarded the case in a wrong light; and if they had only acted in conjunction with the Commissioners, and agreed to their recommendation, all us
harm
might have
been
prevented.
HEREDITARY DISEASE.
[The
Editor is indebted to Mr. T. W. Nunn for the follow-
ing interesting cases, which strongly corroborate Dr. Winn's theory of the interchangeableness of all hereditary diseases :? In the family of M. one died insane, two are in asylums, another, although not in confinement, borders on insanity. The remaining two are dead?one (a sister) died of cancer. The eldest brother (now dead) married. He left six children? Two of the daughters died of con3 sons and, 3 daughters. at about twenty years of age. The remaining sumption the sons all well, and no symptoms of is delicate; daughter have insanity appeared amongst them. Mrs. B. had five children, and has been for nearly forty years insane. One of her sons died in childhood; her three daughters of consumption, and one son remains in good health.]
