Death

Date 1 January 1938
Place S.C. State Hospital
Description Death of Eleanor Reeves

Narrative

The death certificate only states that Eleanor died from "exhaustion due to mental excitement".
This, at one time, was a fairly common diagnosis in mental patients. An explanation of the
malady can be found at http://www.exciteddelirium.org

From the exciteddelirium.org web page, History of Excited Delirium;

"In 1849, Dr. Luther Bell first described a "disease" resembling some advanced stage of
mania and fever, distinguished as an overlooked and often unrecorded malady (Bell, 1849).
This “exhaustive mania” was described in 40 cases by Dr. Bell where “exhaustion due to mental
excitement” caused three quarters of these patients to die."

Source References

  1. Death Certificate, South Carolina
      • Date: 18 January 1938
      • Page: File No. 1069
      • Confidence: Very High

References

  1. Reeves, Eleanor