| Description Of Item | Volume with the title 'Bruised Reeds 1882' on the front cover. Contains twelve water colour paintings of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Each small painting is captioned with the patient's name and details of his case (all are male). There is also a painting on the first page of a pond in moonlight with reeds and a crow in a tree. The original manuscripts catalogue states that this is a copy of a volume held by the Lothian Health Services Archive amongst the Thomas Clouston papers. That volume is by John Myles (also known as Miles).
The additional information provided below about this volume and the portraits it contains was provided by Allan Beveridge in January 2020, based on his research in the Royal Edinburgh Asylum records held by the Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA).
The LHSA has in its collections seven coloured drawings which are signed ‘JM’, and which give the patient’s name, their diagnosis, their patient number and their case book reference. The clinical information is written in pen, most probably by a clinician, and quite possibly by the Medical Superintendent of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, Dr Thomas Clouston.
This volume which the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh holds contains twelve painted portraits, six of the same patients as those in the LHSA series and six further patients. These paintings are unsigned and are much cruder in their execution, suggesting they were done by another artist. They have an accompanying hand-written text, which gives the patient’s name and provides a brief clinical vignette. The hand-writing is different from that of the LHSA series though they may have also been written by a clinician. They would appear to be copies of the original John Miles’s portraits as they are much less detailed and they are less refined in rendering the patient’s facial features and clothing.
John Miles was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 21 May 1881. He was 59 years old, married and described as a ‘Portrait Painter’. He was a pauper patient from Saint Cuthbert’s and he had been admitted via the Royal Infirmary. On 16 October 16 he was discharged ‘Recovered’.
The portraits:
Andrew Simpson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 5 March, 1880. He was a 55 year-old married baker. He lived at 53 Bristo Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. He was diagnosed with melancholia. He died in the asylum on 7 July 1883. His cause of death was given as: ‘Phthisis Pulmonalis’, ‘Kidney Disease’ and ‘Brain Disease’.
George Lumsden was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 22 July 22 1867. He was single and of no occupation. No age was given. His diagnosis was ‘Epileptic Imbecility’. He died in 1893 of ‘Epilepsy – 34 years. Pneumonia 3 days’. The accompanying text appears to be inaccurate, at least in terms of what the case notes state. He is called ‘James’, rather than ‘George’ and is said to have been blind since birth. This was not mentioned in the case notes and surely would have been if true. He was described as playing the violin not particularly well and to have a bad temper, though the case notes described him as good-natured.
George Dickson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 6 May 1870. He was 60 years old, and had been admitted previously in 1852. He was widowed and a joiner. He lived at 3 North Saint James Street, Edinburgh. The existing attack had lasted 6 months. He was not epileptic, suicidal or dangerous.
James Laurie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 January 1877. He was 13 years old. He had no education and was a pauper patient who was transferred from St Cuthbert’s Poorhouse. The predisposing factor was ‘Congenital’. On physical examination, James was found to be paralysed on the left side and his left foot was clubbed. He was epileptic. The diagnosis was ‘Idiocy’. On 7 November 1884, James died. The Cause of Death was Brain Disease and Phthisis Pulmonalis, duration one year. He was 20 years old.
William Archibald was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 January 1880. He was 28 years old, married and a cook. He lived at 25 East London Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’. On 24 January 1890, he died of Bronchopneumonia. The text says he was about 40 years old, though according to the case notes he was 30.
William Beattie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 17 April 1880. He was 45 years old, single, and a tailor. He was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s and had been transferred from Dundee Royal Asylum. His Transfer Certificate recorded: ‘He is deaf, dumb, and in a frail state of bodily health’. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’.
William Walls was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 4 April 1879. He was 48 years old and was described as a married shopkeeper or merchant. He was a private patient and lived at 148 Links, Kirkcaldy. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. In the text that accompanies his portrait, William Walls’s surname is misspelt as ‘Wells’. It also states that he was ‘ill through loose living’, though there is no mention of this in the case notes.
Thomas Shuster was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 September 1878. He was 23 years old, single and described as a labourer. He lived at 5 St John’s Hill, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘Mania’. On 23 October 1878, Shuster was discharged recovered. Between 1879 and 1885 Shuster had four further admissions, all with the diagnosis of ‘Mania’. Shuster was eventually discharged relieved on 20 October 1890. His name is spelt wrongly and he is said to have suffered a shock through disappointment in love, whereas the case notes stated that the cause of insanity was ‘fright’.
David Thomson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 April 1882. He was 24 years old, single and described as a mason. He was from St Cuthbert’s Parish. He was said to have a hereditary predisposition and was considered to be suicidal and dangerous. In November 1899, he was transferred to Craiglockhart, ‘Not Improved’.
Charles Young was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 8 March 1880. He was 36 years old, single and described as a journeyman and upholsterer. He lived at 204 Rose Street and was a pauper patient from the City Parish. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’ and he died of ‘General Paralysis of the Insane’ on 3 December 1882.
James McNeil was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 June 1882. He was 66 years old, single and described as a labourer. He was a pauper patient from Inveresk Combination Poorhouse. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. On 12 December, he died of heart disease and softening of the brain.
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