London County Asylum, Claybury, Essex (Annual Report for 1899)

… Of insanity associated with senile decay only 10 per cent. were over 60 years of age, as against 18 per cent. during the previous year. General paralysis has been found in 11 per cent. of the male admissions and in nearly 4 per cent. of the female. “There has been a high percentage of insanity from alcohol, and more than double the number of women than men have been admitted suffering from mania a potû.” It is also ascertained that women relapse into insanity from alcohol and are re-admitted with far greater frequency than men. Their weakened inhibition appears to be unable to withstand the slightest temptation, and Dr. Jones points out that the best treatment for such cases is that of long detention in inebriate homes, which naturally cannot apply to asylums from which patients are discharged when mentally fit. Previous attacks and hereditary influences were ascertained to be the most probable cause of insanity in 34 per cent. of the admissions. Several patients who were admitted had delusions that they were “hounded by Kruger's relatives” and that “Spion Kop” was hissed into their ears.