North Carolina Insane Asylum: Facts (American Civil War)

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North Carolina Insane Asylum: American Civil War and Reconstruction

During the American Civil War there was no shell shock, battle fatigue, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to help explain and legitimize a mysterious condition. Mental illnesses pervaded many veterans and their families. As a result of the Civil War, there were tens-of-thousands of widows, single mothers and, consequently, "the fatherless." (Highly recommended reading: Shook over Hell: Post-Traumatic Stress, Vietnam, and the Civil War.)
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA INSANE ASYLUM, FOR THE YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1884

The below table reflects the diagnosis/circumstances for each individual admitted to the North Carolina Insane Asylum. Question: How many patients were admitted for syphilis? Please review number 91, since it is very specific. (Regarding Colonel William Holland Thomas, if he was admitted to the insane asylum for syphilis and insanity, then why hasn't any author, writer or editor provided said fact or document? A supposition is not a fact. Thomas, however, was admitted into the asylum for Dementia.)

Since many of the patients are diagnosed with "Mania," a definition is warranted:
 
Mania: An abnormally elevated mood state characterized by such symptoms as inappropriate elation, increased irritability, severe insomnia, grandiose notions, increased speed and/or volume of speech, disconnected and racing thoughts, increased sexual desire, markedly increased energy and activity level, poor judgment, and inappropriate social behavior. A mild form in mania that does not require hospitalization is termed hypomania. Mania that also features symptoms of depression ("agitated depression") is called mixed mania. The reader can clearly see that Mania defines and covers a broad spectrum of possible maladies.

DATE OF ADMISSION. SEX.   SOCIAL RELATION. DISEASE.        
Number. Year. Month. Day. Male. Female. Age. Single. Married. Widowed. No. Attack. Supposed Cause DURATION BEFORE ADMISSION. FORM. Suicidal. Hereditary. RESIDENCE. No. Admissions.
                        Year. Mos. Days.          
1 1883 December 2 ..... Female. 26 ..... Married. ..... 3 Heredity ..... 3 ..... Mania Suicidal. Hereditary. Nash 2
2 1883 December 6 ..... Female. 28 Single. ..... ..... 1 Ill Health ..... 8 ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Montgomery 1
3 1883 December 6 Male. ..... 19 Single. ..... ..... 3 Heredity and injury 5 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Montgomery 1
4 1883 December 7 Male. ..... 40 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown 10 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Brunswick 1
5 1883 December 11 Male. ..... 27 Single. ..... ..... 1 Masturbation 7 ..... ..... Imbecility ..... ..... Washington 1
6 1883 December 12 ..... Female. 50 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... 3 ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Richmond 1
7 1883 December 13 ..... Female. 39 ..... Married. ..... 1 Domestic trouble 5 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Hyde 1
8 1883 December 14 Male. ..... 60 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... 1 ..... Mania ..... ..... Richmond 1
9 1883 December 14 Male. ..... 31 Single. ..... ..... 1 Disappointment ..... 8 ..... Mania ..... ..... Johnston 1
10 1883 December 19 ..... Female. 66 Single. ..... ..... 1 Disappointment 2 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Jones 1
11 1883 December 22 ..... Female. 66 ..... ..... Widowed. 4 Unknown ..... 3 ..... Mania ..... ..... Moore 2
12 1883 December 23 ..... Female. 22 Single. ..... ..... 1 Disappointment 2 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Durham 1
13 1883 December 23 Male. ..... 23 ..... Married. ..... 1 Religious excitement 1 ..... ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Columbus 1
14 1883 December 26 Male. ..... 43 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... ..... 6 Mania ..... ..... Johnston 1
15 1883 December 27 Male. ..... 22 Single. ..... ..... 1 Attack of fever 10 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Columbus 1
16 1883 December 28 Male. ..... 42 ..... Married. ..... 5 Mental shock ..... 1 ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Pitt 1
17 1884 January 10 ..... Female. 27 Single. ..... ..... 1 Religious excitement ..... 4 ..... Mania ..... ..... Pitt 1
18 1884 January 11 ..... Female. 40 ..... Married. ..... 1 Exhaustion and sorrow ..... 11 ..... Melancholia Suicidal. Hereditary. Richmond 1
19 1884 January 11 Male. ..... 28 Single. ..... ..... 2 Epilepsy 2 ..... ..... Epileptic Mania ..... ..... Orange 1
20 1884 January 11 Male. ..... 38 ..... Married. ..... 1 Business trouble ..... ..... 10 Mania ..... ..... Wilson 1
21 1884 January 15 Male. ..... 34 Single. ..... ..... 1 1 ..... 4 ..... Dipsomania ..... ..... Robeson 1
22 1884 January 24 ..... Female. 44 ..... Married. ..... 1 Loss of sleep ..... 6 ..... Mania Suicidal. ..... New Hanover 1
23 1884 January 27 ..... Female. 30 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown 5 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Moore 1
24 1884 January 31 ..... Female. 56 ..... Married. ..... Unk. Heredity 8 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Guilford 1
25 1884 February 4 Male. ..... 28 ..... Married. ..... 1 Heredity ..... 4 ..... Melancholia ..... Hereditary. Randolph 1
26 1884 February 4 ..... Female. 42 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown 7 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Durham 1
27 1884 February 5 Male. ..... 31 ..... Married. ..... 1 Religious excitement 3 1 ..... Mania ..... ..... Duplin 1
28 1884 February 8 ..... Female. 23 Single. ..... ..... 1 Heredity ..... 1 ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Onslow 1
29 1884 February 8 ..... Female. 22 Single. ..... ..... 3 Menstrual trouble ..... 2 ..... Mania ..... ..... Guilford 1
30 1884 February 8 ..... Female. 42 Single. ..... ..... 2 Uterine disease ..... ..... 21 Mania ..... ..... Wayne 2

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  DATE OF ADMISSION. SEX.   SOCIAL RELATION. DISEASE.        
Number. Year. Month. Day. Male. Female. Age. Single. Married. Widowed. No. Attack. Supposed Cause DURATION BEFORE ADMISSION. FORM. Suicidal. Hereditary. RESIDENCE. No. Admissions.
                        Year. Mos. Days.          
31 1884 February 13 Male. ..... 60 ..... Married. ..... 1 Intemperance 2 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Rockingham 1
32 1884 February 13 ..... Female. 19 Single. ..... ..... 1 Ammenorrhoea 5 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Carteret 1
33 1884 February 15 ..... Female. 47 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... 8 ..... Mania ..... ..... Moore 1
34 1884 February 20 Male. ..... 28 ..... Married. ..... 1 Religious excitement ..... ..... 10 Melancholia ..... ..... Alamance 1
35 1884 February 20 ..... Female. 50 ..... Married. ..... 1 Loss of property 13 ..... ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Granville 1
36 1884 February 21 Male. ..... 38 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown several years. ..... ..... Unknown ..... ..... Randolph 1
37 1884 February 25 Male. ..... 36 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown 10 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Pitt 1
38 1884 March 5 Male. ..... 24 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown 12 ..... ..... Dementia ..... Hereditary. Nash 1
39 1884 March 5 ..... Female. 24 Single. ..... ..... 1 Heredity ..... 7 ..... Melancholia Suicidal. Hereditary. Granville 1
40 1884 March 8 Male. ..... 34 ..... Married. ..... Unk. Intemperance ..... 3 ..... Mania ..... ..... Johnston 2
41 1884 March 15 ..... Female. 27 ..... Married. ..... 1 Heredity ..... 1 ..... Melancholia ..... Hereditary. Wake 1
42 1884 March 15 ..... Female. 27 Single. ..... ..... 1 Epilepsy 12 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Granville 1
43 1884 March 18 ..... Female. 22 Single. ..... ..... 1 Congestive fever 2 ..... ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Randolph 1
44 1884 March 25 Male. ..... 40 ..... Married. ..... 5 Sun-stroke ..... ..... 14 Mania ..... ..... Chatham 3
45 1884 March 27 ..... Female. 37 ..... Married. ..... 5 or 6 Uterine disease 10 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Wake 1
46 1884 March 29 ..... Female. 37 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... 4 ..... Mania ..... ..... Harnett 1
47 1884 April 9 Male. ..... 28 Single. ..... ..... 2 Scarlet fever 6 ..... ..... Melancholia ..... Hereditary. Hertford 1
48 1884 April 11 Male. ..... 40 ..... Married. ..... 1 Exposure to sun 1 ..... ..... Unknown ..... ..... Cumberland 1
49 1884 April 15 Male. ..... 63 ..... ..... Widowed 3 Grief ..... 3 ..... Melancholia Suicidal. ..... Cumberland 2
50 1884 April 16 ..... Female. 25 Single. ..... ..... 1 Disappointment ..... 11 ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Pender 1
51 1884 April 17 Male. ..... 57 ..... Married. ..... 1 Heredity ..... 4 ..... Melancholia Suicidal. Hereditary. Randolph 1
52 1884 April 17 ..... Female. 34 Single. ..... ..... 2 Religious excitement ..... 1 ..... Mania ..... ..... Edgecombe 1
53 1884 April 18 Male. ..... 58 ..... Married. ..... 4 Over-work ..... ..... 15 Melancholia ..... Hereditary. Franklin 4
54 1884 April 18 ..... Female. 45 Single. ..... ..... 1 Heredity 26 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Guilford 3
55 1884 April 26 Male. ..... 49 ..... Married. ..... 1 Intemperance 3 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Granville 1
56 1884 April 28 ..... Female. 29 ..... Married. ..... 1 Ill health ..... 13 ..... Mania Suicidal. Hereditary. Wake 1
57 1884 May 2 Male. ..... 24 Single. ..... ..... 1 Unknown ..... 4 ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Vance 1
58 1884 May 6 Male. ..... 34 Single. ..... ..... 1 Fall on head 6 ..... ..... Dementia ..... ..... Northampton 1
59 1884 May 9 Male. ..... 32 Single. ..... ..... 1 Religious excitement ..... ..... 6 Mania ..... Hereditary. Duplin 1
60 1884 May 10 ..... Female. 50 ..... Married. ..... 1 Jealousy 4 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Cumberland 1
61 1884 May 10 ..... Female. 55 ..... ..... Widowed 2 Family trouble ..... 1 ..... Unknown ..... ..... Cumberland 1
62 1884 May 15 Male. ..... 33 ..... Married. ..... 1 Unknown ..... 2 ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Columbus 1


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  DATE OF ADMISSION. SEX.   SOCIAL RELATION. DISEASE.        
Number. Year. Month. Day. Male. Female. Age. Single. Married. Widowed. No. Attack. Supposed Cause DURATION BEFORE ADMISSION. FORM. Suicidal. Hereditary. RESIDENCE. No. Admissions.
                        Year. Mos. Days.          
63 1884 May 27 Male. ..... 24 ..... Married. ..... 1 Intemperance ..... 5 ..... Dementia ..... ..... Wake 1
64 1884 June 10 ..... Female. 30 Single. ..... ..... 1 Religious excitement ..... 8 ..... Melancholia ..... ..... Guilford 1
65 1884 June 11 Male. ..... 23 Single. ..... ..... 1 Heredity 2 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Richmond 1
66 1884 June 11 ..... Female. 44 Single. ..... ..... several Heredity 5 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Halifax 1
67 1884 June 11 ..... Female. 35 ..... Married. ..... several Uterine disease ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Wake 1
68 1884 June 14 Male. ..... 31 Single. ..... ..... 1 Inflammation of brain 7 ..... ..... Mania ..... ..... Wake 1
69 1884 June 17 Male. ..... 16 Single. ..... ..... 1 Sun-stroke 3 ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Columbus 1
70 1884 July 2 ..... Female. 25 Single. ..... ..... 1 Ill health ..... 10 ..... Mania Suicidal. ..... Duplin 1
71 1884 July 10 ..... Female. 48 ..... Married. ..... 3 Unknown ..... 2 ..... Mania ..... ..... Wake 1
72 1884 July 10 ..... Female. 29 ..... Married. ..... 1 Religious excitement ..... 2 ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Beaufort 1
73 1884 July 24 Male. ..... 32 Single. ..... ..... 1 Over-heat ..... ..... Mania ..... Hereditary. Orange 1
74 1884 July 30