She was the daughter of Percy (Joseph) Conklin and Vera Habershon. Her parents married six months before her birth and her mother died giving birth to her. Her father married his second wife in 1922 and they moved to Winsted, CT.
She sadly died at just shy of 15yrs. old. According to her death certificate, she died at the Hartford Retreat, in Hartford. "Primary cause: Dementia Praecox. (42 day duration) Secondary or contributory cause: Self lacerated lip. Septicemia. Remarks: Lip became infected."
The Hartford Retreat (now called the Institute of Living) was founded in 1822 and was one of the first mental health centers in the United States, and the first hospital of any kind in Connecticut. Dementia praecox (once called "adolescent insanity") is a "chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration. It usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. Symptoms typically show after puberty or in early adulthood. Genetics, early environment (prenatal stressors, childhood trauma, death of a parent), as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors." In the late 1920s, dementia praecox started being replaced by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler's term "schizophrenia." At first these terms were used interchangeably. Unfortunately, Americans put their own spin on schizophrenia. They reframed Bleuler's disease concept as primarily a functional or psychogenic condition that was caused by mothers or maladjustment to social reality. It was in the news often as an insanity defense in criminal cases. The "mental hygiene" movement emphasized childhood prevention of mental illness. They had at times been associated with advocating eugenics and sterilization of those considered too mentally deficient to be assisted. Dementia praecox was also typically reported as an inherited or 'unknown cause" degenerative disorder which could not be cured at all. Needless to say the science at the time was a mess and harmful laws enacted and harmful research done on patients.
One can only imagine what the family went through before placing Vera in the Hartford institution. The stated "42 day duration" probably means she was in the Hartford Retreat for those 6 weeks.
There was a nice tribute in the local paper that says she died at the Hartford Hospital (down the block from the Retreat). She had attended St. Anthony's, the parochial school that goes to 8th grade, and the Gilbert School which is the public high school.
She was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Her 4yr. old half sister remembered Vera played the violin quite well and delighted her with playing "Pop Goes the Weasel." She was told Vera died of "double pneumonia"or "pneumonia". The stigma of any mental health problem was significant - even more so then as now.
She sadly died at just shy of 15yrs. old. According to her death certificate, she died at the Hartford Retreat, in Hartford. "Primary cause: Dementia Praecox. (42 day duration) Secondary or contributory cause: Self lacerated lip. Septicemia. Remarks: Lip became infected."
The Hartford Retreat (now called the Institute of Living) was founded in 1822 and was one of the first mental health centers in the United States, and the first hospital of any kind in Connecticut. Dementia praecox (once called "adolescent insanity") is a "chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration. It usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. Symptoms typically show after puberty or in early adulthood. Genetics, early environment (prenatal stressors, childhood trauma, death of a parent), as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors." In the late 1920s, dementia praecox started being replaced by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler's term "schizophrenia." At first these terms were used interchangeably. Unfortunately, Americans put their own spin on schizophrenia. They reframed Bleuler's disease concept as primarily a functional or psychogenic condition that was caused by mothers or maladjustment to social reality. It was in the news often as an insanity defense in criminal cases. The "mental hygiene" movement emphasized childhood prevention of mental illness. They had at times been associated with advocating eugenics and sterilization of those considered too mentally deficient to be assisted. Dementia praecox was also typically reported as an inherited or 'unknown cause" degenerative disorder which could not be cured at all. Needless to say the science at the time was a mess and harmful laws enacted and harmful research done on patients.
One can only imagine what the family went through before placing Vera in the Hartford institution. The stated "42 day duration" probably means she was in the Hartford Retreat for those 6 weeks.
There was a nice tribute in the local paper that says she died at the Hartford Hospital (down the block from the Retreat). She had attended St. Anthony's, the parochial school that goes to 8th grade, and the Gilbert School which is the public high school.
She was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Her 4yr. old half sister remembered Vera played the violin quite well and delighted her with playing "Pop Goes the Weasel." She was told Vera died of "double pneumonia"or "pneumonia". The stigma of any mental health problem was significant - even more so then as now.
She was the daughter of Percy (Joseph) Conklin and Vera Habershon. Her parents married six months before her birth and her mother died giving birth to her. Her father married his second wife in 1922 and they moved to Winsted, CT.
She sadly died at just shy of 15yrs. old. According to her death certificate, she died at the Hartford Retreat, in Hartford. "Primary cause: Dementia Praecox. (42 day duration) Secondary or contributory cause: Self lacerated lip. Septicemia. Remarks: Lip became infected."
The Hartford Retreat (now called the Institute of Living) was founded in 1822 and was one of the first mental health centers in the United States, and the first hospital of any kind in Connecticut. Dementia praecox (once called "adolescent insanity") is a "chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration. It usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. Symptoms typically show after puberty or in early adulthood. Genetics, early environment (prenatal stressors, childhood trauma, death of a parent), as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors." In the late 1920s, dementia praecox started being replaced by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler's term "schizophrenia." At first these terms were used interchangeably. Unfortunately, Americans put their own spin on schizophrenia. They reframed Bleuler's disease concept as primarily a functional or psychogenic condition that was caused by mothers or maladjustment to social reality. It was in the news often as an insanity defense in criminal cases. The "mental hygiene" movement emphasized childhood prevention of mental illness. They had at times been associated with advocating eugenics and sterilization of those considered too mentally deficient to be assisted. Dementia praecox was also typically reported as an inherited or 'unknown cause" degenerative disorder which could not be cured at all. Needless to say the science at the time was a mess and harmful laws enacted and harmful research done on patients.
One can only imagine what the family went through before placing Vera in the Hartford institution. The stated "42 day duration" probably means she was in the Hartford Retreat for those 6 weeks.
There was a nice tribute in the local paper that says she died at the Hartford Hospital (down the block from the Retreat). She had attended St. Anthony's, the parochial school that goes to 8th grade, and the Gilbert School which is the public high school.
She was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Her 4yr. old half sister remembered Vera played the violin quite well and delighted her with playing "Pop Goes the Weasel." She was told Vera died of "double pneumonia"or "pneumonia". The stigma of any mental health problem was significant - even more so then as now.
She sadly died at just shy of 15yrs. old. According to her death certificate, she died at the Hartford Retreat, in Hartford. "Primary cause: Dementia Praecox. (42 day duration) Secondary or contributory cause: Self lacerated lip. Septicemia. Remarks: Lip became infected."
The Hartford Retreat (now called the Institute of Living) was founded in 1822 and was one of the first mental health centers in the United States, and the first hospital of any kind in Connecticut. Dementia praecox (once called "adolescent insanity") is a "chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration. It usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. Symptoms typically show after puberty or in early adulthood. Genetics, early environment (prenatal stressors, childhood trauma, death of a parent), as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors." In the late 1920s, dementia praecox started being replaced by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler's term "schizophrenia." At first these terms were used interchangeably. Unfortunately, Americans put their own spin on schizophrenia. They reframed Bleuler's disease concept as primarily a functional or psychogenic condition that was caused by mothers or maladjustment to social reality. It was in the news often as an insanity defense in criminal cases. The "mental hygiene" movement emphasized childhood prevention of mental illness. They had at times been associated with advocating eugenics and sterilization of those considered too mentally deficient to be assisted. Dementia praecox was also typically reported as an inherited or 'unknown cause" degenerative disorder which could not be cured at all. Needless to say the science at the time was a mess and harmful laws enacted and harmful research done on patients.
One can only imagine what the family went through before placing Vera in the Hartford institution. The stated "42 day duration" probably means she was in the Hartford Retreat for those 6 weeks.
There was a nice tribute in the local paper that says she died at the Hartford Hospital (down the block from the Retreat). She had attended St. Anthony's, the parochial school that goes to 8th grade, and the Gilbert School which is the public high school.
She was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Her 4yr. old half sister remembered Vera played the violin quite well and delighted her with playing "Pop Goes the Weasel." She was told Vera died of "double pneumonia"or "pneumonia". The stigma of any mental health problem was significant - even more so then as now.
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