Archived Records for Patient

Question

My 2nd Great Grandmother was an inmate/patient at the Washington Hospital for the Insane/St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Amelia Trilling resided there from 1900-1930ish. She was born 13 March 1881 and died 22 July 1938. What's the next step to get her archived institutional records?

Maureen Jais-Mick · Answer

I am not sure if I answered this inquiry previously. I do not see a reply from me below. 
 I am an Archives volunteer at Saint Elizabeths Hospital Volunteer and may be able to assist you. There is an Amelia Trilling whose medical record still exists and is available for viewing at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Hospital Records are group #418 
 If you are not in DC, you can request the staff to copy for you. There will be a fee. 
 Amelia Trilling, Patient #10,608 - this number fits with an admissions year of ca. 1900. 
 Box 178 
 Nara ID 4847 
 NARA also has the patient register for this period. As each patient was admitted to the hospital they were assigned a number. The registers have basic information about why they were admitted. The information is brief, but can be helpful. Amelia may also have had a lunacy hearing. Those records are usually in the D.C. Court files, which are also at NARA. 
 I hope that this is helpful. Maureen Jais-Mick 
 After I submitted this reply I checked our patient index cards. The index cards, which were how the hospital kept track of patients pre-computers, are the only information we have on early patients. According to Amelia Trilling's card her class was "indigent" (no one to pay for her care); her Civil Con. was "Single." Her religion was "Catholic." Her Nativity was "D.C." She had no prior admissions. You would know more about her marital status at that time. She was listed as 17 when she was admitted on 3-11-1898. She died at the hospital on 7-22-1938 in the Medical & Surgical Building. I checked the surgery log and could find no record of a surgery done before her death. No autopsy was performed. 
 This form will not let me insert a picture or I would send you a copy of the index card. 
 The medical file at NARA will have much more information. Maureen Jais-Mick

Patti Schulte · Answer

Bunny, 
 Haven't be able to find her records: Link 1900 Census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMFC-3MF 
 
 Her mother and father are listed above. Hope this helps a bit. 
 Patti

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