Review. Greenwell: Kopernic- Stekel

M I C A	This is a short florid illness of imploding intensity which announces itself with bewildering aberrant behaviour, rising to acts under delusional misapprehension, arriving without any previous awareness in a family situation. After a Christmas family reunion time odd behaviour leads the father to encourage a visit to the family doctor where K;St has a concern that the vitamins father has given him might be harmful. the next day is mor alarming occurs - damage by K-St to the home - which brings alarm to the neighbours and brings in the police. They are set to pursue charges but they withdraw when the mother agrees she will call in the medical services. The family doctor decides at midday to visit with a local Psychiatrist consultant, in mid afternoon. They decide there is enough wrong and enough concern for there to be a need for hospital detention and closer management and observation than is possible at home. Around three p.m they make out the medical recommendations and then tell the social worker. There is subsequent disagreement about whether anything was read out to the social worker - by the secretary to the Consultant psychiatrist - about any danger or urgency. The social worker does not visit in time to set admission procedures in motion, because in the meanwhile a family have brought in a friend who persuades K-St. to admit himself - an informal patient - to the local prestigious mental hospital service that friday evening. His behaviour there is an ordinary one in a rather upsetting first admission mental illness ward experience.The illness is likely to be schizophrenia but if this is the working diagnosis, it is not said. On the sunday two days later K-St. importunes and leaves the hospital to satisfy an overwhelming urge to reassure himself about his mother at home. His behaviour there cannot be understood, is alarming, and a friend of K-St is called in to be on hand. He persuades K-st to return to hospital, where it is said that a 'nurse instigated holding Mental Health Act Section should be available if similar isistence on leaving occurs again. He does leave again, the police are informed , visit the family home , but are too late.	back to Inquiry Kopernick stekel back to Inquiries List Not the end of it

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