Essondale Patient File for Nobue Wakita

From this file, LOI has digitized a textual records or images.

Nobue Wakita was diagnosed with Schizophrenic Reaction, Chronic Undifferentiated type. She arrived in Canada 1938 and lived in Kelowna. Wakita had 3 sons born in 1940, 1942 and 1944, all placed with an aunt when she was admitted to hospital. File includes correspondence over guardianship of her children. Social service notes blame Japanese culture for Wakita’s difficulties integrating into community. Suicide attempt made with scissors in 1955. Her first admission was 12 August 1944 from Grand Forks one month after her last son’s birth. She was subsequently diagnosed with postpartum depression and placed on suicide list immediately, several attempts recorded. Social service note indicates husband Tsunejiro hospitalized at New Denver Sanatorium. File includes letters from husband, who laments that Nobue is not able to receive visitors. Correspondence with Depot of Labour indicates that Dept of Labour/BCSC not responsible for her medical bills because she lived outside the protected area at time of PC 1665. Correspondence refers to potential repatriation and discussion with family members about viability. Last correspondence concerns a pregnancy in 1947 (later file reveals this was terminated) and potential sterilization. Wakita died 11 May 1961 of cardiac arrest at age 45.

British Columbia. Mental Health Services created this archive which were transferred to the BC Archives from 1987 to 2000.

The digital copies of the records were acquired by the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective between 2014 and 2018.

This record was digitized selectively.