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Jane's Illness: What Did Acute Mania Look Like in the 19th Century?

A woman diagnosed as suffering from hilarious mania, colour lithograph, 1892, after J. Williamson, 1890. (Wikimedia Commons) Since I began writing about Jane Darragh, my great-great-grandmother, whose cause of death was noted as "acute mania," I've heard from several readers with various theories of what might have happened to her. There are certainly many different angles to consider. More than one reader suggested that perhaps Jane's diagnosis was a case of her being deemed "hysterical" as a catch-all for any number of ailments. Others thought her diagnosis could have been an easy way to "get rid of her" if she was being troublesome to her husband or family. Another reader suggested that physicians of the day—being male—dismissed women's complaints as being imagined or that her symptoms might not have been seen as remarkable if displayed today. All are excellent points. There's much I don't know about Jane's situation, as her deat...
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BEGINNINGS

Sunrise, 28 Dec. 2020. Photo by N Gilbride Casey


By Nancy Gilbride Casey

I must admit, I do like turning the page on a new year. Everything seems fresh to me, and the possibilities are enticing. It doesn't hurt that I'm writing this with sunshine streaming through my window, which always puts me in a positive frame of mind.

"Beginnings" is the first theme of the 2021 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge by blogger/podcaster Amy Johnson Crow. I participated in this challenge last year for a bit, but in the midst of the pandemic, my writing fell by the wayside. Weightier thoughts occupied my mind: 

"Will my family stay safe?" 

"How do I go back to work with all those kids?" (I work at a high school.) 

"What happens if one of us gets sick with COVID?" 

I am certain I am not alone in this; many of my genealogy writing pals suffered the same fate, and just getting though the day-to-day of life was an accomplishment in itself on any given day.

That's why a little challenge I saw on Facebook so appealed to me to start off the New Year: 

Post on social media one document, photograph, heirloom, etc., for each day of January, following the various suggested themes—a birth record, a death record, a treasured heirloom, etc. 

Perfect! This I can do. 

Writing a post on social media feels a lot less stressful than writing a blog post for some reason. Most posts are meant to be brief, usually just a paragraph or two. I have so much research, so many photos, documents, etc., which I've accumulated through researching family history, this is the perfect way to get back into the swing of things, without breaking too much of a sweat.

So far, I've chosen and written about the first 4 items, and have ideas for several others...so far so good. Some posts have even generated some discussion, a delightful development.

Coincidentally, the first theme was the ultimate "beginning," a birth record. I chose the birth/baptismal record of my great grandmother Anna Tatar Simonik, born in 1883 in Slovakia. In case you're not on Facebook, I will also be adding these posts to this blog.

As in 2020, I believe any accomplishment in 2021—big or small—is important. 

So, here's to beginnings, yours and mine. All the best to you and yours in the New Year.

Until next time...

 

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