Craig Colony Patient Case Files

Numeric by patient number.

Craig Colony for Epileptics was established in 1894 to offer residential, educational, occupational, and medical facilities for epileptics. It remained an institution for epileptics until 1967.

From the opening of Craig Colony until circa 1905, patient case histories were recorded in volumes in patient consecutive number order. Individual patient case files replaced the case book format circa 1905; the content of the files changed very little over the next several decades.

A typical file includes a photograph of the resident; an admission sheet giving personal and medical data; a detailed personal, family, and medical history, with emphasis on symptoms and frequency of epileptic attacks; commitment papers (petition to a judge, notice of service, certificates by two examining physicians as to incompetency of the epileptic, and judge's order for committal); and a personal and family history questionnaire, filled in by a relative. Post-admission documents include accident report forms (mostly for injuries suffered during seizures), correspondence about the patient, admission slips for visitors, seizure charts, hospital charts, and clinical notes by physicians and nurses.

Many files are missing, especially for numbers prior to #5,000 (ca. 1920). The missing files were destroyed in about 1975; most were for patients by then deceased.

14197-00: This accretion consists of 10 case books containing case history numbers 1- 1623, from 1893-1904. Admission histories include date of admission, date of birth, name, age, race, place of birth, occupation, marital status, age at onset of epilepsy, duration of epilepsy, cause, heredity, prenatal influences; character, frequency and time of attacks; nature of aura, physical state, signature and residence of examiner.

14197-00: Post-admission histories include individuals bringing patient to colony, assignment of ward, religion, alcohol and tobacco use, education level, and results of subsequent physical and mental examinations. A chronological case history of the patient usually follows.

16437Series 16437, Client case files, contains records of the Craig Developmental Center and the Craig Colony for Epileptics after 1950

B1714Series B1714, Patient admission histories

B1898Series B1898, Photographs

B1900Series B1900, Board of Visitors meeting minutes

B1901Series B1901, Medical superintendent memoranda

B2316Series B2316, Admission registers

Available at the repository: for accretion 14197-84, numerical list of cases, list of patients (in box 132); for accretion 14197-00, alphabetical name index.

Restricted in accordance with Mental Hygiene Law, Section 33.13, relating to confidentiality of clinical records. Access is permitted under certain conditions upon approval by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.