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Patients

The
First Patient of the Mimico Branch Asylum, 1889
The
first patient of the Mimico Branch Asylum was a twenty-two year-old
single Canadian male, whose name was not marked in the records. He
was first admitted to an asylum in an unknown location when he was
only about twelve in April of 1878. Later, he was transferred to the
Mimico Branch Asylum on January 23, 1890, from the Provincial
Lunatic Asylum, located at 999 Queen Street West. Little is known of
his background, except for the fact that he came from a family with
a "bad history." He was also sunstroke and considered
dangerous to others.
Upon
his admission to Mimico, Dr. Heggie described that the patient's
reasoning was blunted, his memory appeared to be confused, and his
temper "morose", which indicates his depression. In
addition, Dr. Thomas William Reynolds, the first superintendent,
certified that the patient came from a family, where insanity was
hereditary.
While
an inmate at Mimico, the patient also threatened suicide, had erotic
dreams, and masturbated. At the end of his medical file, the doctors
noted that he was "gradually becoming more stupid."
In 1893, the patient's conditions seemed to get worse, since
he was reportedly diagnosed with "becoming [even] more
stupid." A year later, he was described as "failing
gradually and afflicted with boils", a term at that time used
to describe rage. In February of 1895, the doctor noted that the
patients became untidy in dress and his mental health deteriorated
even further. However, until the turn of the century, he was still
in good physical health. However, while he was working on the asylum
farm, he was firing stones, and, as a result, his pants caught on
fire. After the accident, he was confided to bed with what appears
to have been "very badly" swollen testicles.
The
patient was transferred on April 29, 1901 to Hamilton Asylum, but no
reason was given. His tragic, but in some ways, typical story,
remains blackened by obscurity due to lack of compassion and care
from his custodians, as evidenced by the irresponsible and careless
handling of his medical record.
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