(or one of them?)
When Harry Keeler was a child, his mother committed him to an insane asylum. This had a great effect on Harry and his work. Scattered throughout his novels are characters who are wrongly admitted into insane asylums, characters who must visit insane asylums to uncover strange clues, characters with mental conditions that could be classified as "insane" and a general fascination with insane asylums themselves. Although I'm not sure when Harry was released from the asylum that his mother committed him to, it is clear that he may possibly have been in and out of mental hospitals perhaps a number of times. It's hard to tell from this document what specifically he was admitted with* (or when), but it does list his condition as officially "recovered" on July 29th, 1914 (at the age of 24). It is known that Harry was working as an electrician at a steel mill at the age of 22, and he was published (mostly pulp short stories) before the age of 24. This document notes that upon being discharged with the classification of "recovered", that Harry's voting and property rights are legally re-instated. This document also states that patients could possibly be discharged with classifications of "stationary" or "improved" (in which their property and voting rights are still on hold), so this certificate might be documenting a less serious, temporary problem that caused Harry to voluntarily admit himself for a short time (occasional panic attack? temporary breakdown?). Or was Harry discharged from the asylum his mother committed him to with the classification of "stationary" or "improved" and still under occasional supervision until the age of 24, when he was officially diagnosed as "recovered"? Why was this particular document saved amongst his things? This form is a bit of an enigma to me, as soon as I learn more facts about it I will update this page right away.
*note:
There
was also a small type-written note on yellow paper near this form that
read:
"Diagnosis: organic disorder of
spinal cord and posterior nerve roots, non-specific radiculitis." The term
"Radiculitis" refers to swelling in the nerve roots due to local trauma.
I don't know who typed this, or even if it's referring to a condition related
to Harry's experiences with mental hospitals. The note looked a lot
newer than the discharge form. Perhaps someone put it there (Thelma? Harry?)
so future generations would know what mental ailment Harry suffered early
in life? "Hmmm..."
