Observations on Madness and Melancholy Part 11

[6] To ill.u.s.trate how necessarily our sensations, or ideas must become confused, when their succession is too rapid, the relation of some experiments on that subject will sufficiently conduce.

"But by the able a.s.sistance of Mr. Herschel, I am in a condition to give some approximation, at least, towards ascertaining the velocity of our audible sensations. For having, by means of a clock, produced sounds, which succeeded each other with such rapidity, that the intervals between each of them were (as far as could be judged) the smallest posible; he found he could evidently distinguish one hundred and sixty of them to flow in a second of time. Now as each interval must in this case be reckoned as a sensation likewise, as it might be filled up with a sound thereby making it a continued one; it follows, that we are capable of entertaining at least three hundred and twenty audible sensations in that period of time."--_Vide a Treatise on Time, by W. Watson, Jun. M. D. F. R. S. 8vo, 1785, page 32._

[7] The late Dr. Johnson was remarkably distinguished by certain peculiarities of action when his mind was deeply engaged. Sir Joshua Reynolds was of opinion "that it proceeded from a habit he had indulged himself in, of accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions."

"One instance of his absence, and particularity as it is characteristic of the man, may be worth relating. When he and I took a journey into the West, we visited the late Mr. Banks, of Dorsets.h.i.+re; the conversation turning upon pictures, which Johnson could not well see, he retired to a corner of the room, stretching out his right leg as far as he could reach before him, then bringing up his left leg, and stretching his right still further on. The old gentleman observing him, went up to him, and in a very courteous manner a.s.sured him, that though it was not a new house, the flooring was perfectly safe. The Doctor started from his reverie like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word."--_Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson, vol. i. p. 76._ In the same work other of his tricks are recorded, as talking to himself, measuring his steps in a mysterious manner, half whistling, clucking like a hen, rubbing his left knee, &c.

Many sensible persons, with whom I am now acquainted, when particularly thoughtful, discover strange bodily motions, of which they are by no means conscious at the time.

[8] This gritty matter, subjected to chemical examination, was found to be _phosphat of lime_.

[9] This appearance I have found frequently to occur in maniacs who have suffered a violent paroxysm of considerable duration: and in such cases, when there has been an opportunity of inspecting the contents of the cranium after death, water has been found between the dura mater and tunica arachnoidea.

[10] Morbid Anatomy, page 304.

[11] Mr. Fourcroy does not appear to have given any particular attention to this fluid. He says, "Cette humeur ne parait pas differer de celle qui mouille toutes les parois membraneuses du corps humain en general, et dont j'ai deja parle. C'est un liquide mucoso gelatineux, plus ou moins alb.u.mineux, et contenant _quelques matieres salines_."--_Systeme des Connoisances Chimiques, 8vo. tom. ix. p. 303._

[12] It may be remarked, that all children in the early attempts at language, speak of themselves and others in the third person, and never employ the p.r.o.noun; they likewise never use connectives, or the inflections of verbs, until they begin to acquire some knowledge of numbers. Beyond this rude state our patient never advanced.

[13] For this term the indulgent reader must give the author credit, because he finds himself unable adequately to explain it.--It is a complex _term_ for many ideas, on which language has not as yet, and perhaps will never be imposed. Very unfortunately there are many terms of this nature, equally incapable of description--a smile, for instance, is not very easy to be defined. Dr. Johnson calls it "a slight contraction of the face"

which applies as properly to a paralytic affection. He also states it to be "opposed to frown." If curiosity should prompt the inquisitive reader to seek in the same author for the verb, to frown, he will find it "to express displeasure _by contracting the face_ to wrinkles." He who would

"Finde the minde's construction in the face"

must not expect to be able to communicate to others, in a few words, that knowledge which has been the slow and progressive acc.u.mulation of years.

[14] These are the usual terms employed by writers on this subject, but the propriety of their use must be left to the judgment of the reader.

Every person will occasionally hesitate whether certain occurrences, said to be causes, ought to be referred to one cla.s.s, in preference to the other. They are loose and vague names: for instance, a course of debauchery long persisted in, would probably terminate in paralysis; excessive grief we know to be capable of the same effect. Paralysis frequently induces derangement of mind, and in such case it would be said, that the madness was induced by the paralysis as a physical cause. But it often happens that debauchery and excessive grief are followed by madness, without the intervention paralysis. Moral, in this sense, means merely habitudes or customs, reiteration of circ.u.mstances confirmed into usage; and these may be indifferently accounted physical or moral.

[15]

"----nessun maggior dolore, Che ricordarsi del tempo felice Nella miseria."--_Dante._

[16] The Jews also were particularly instrumental in the practice and propagation of medical knowledge at that period.

[17] Cogitatio, (hic minime praetereunda) est motus peculiaris Cerebri, quod hujus facultatis est proprium organum: vel potius Cerebri pars quaedam, in medulla spinali et nervis c.u.m suis meningibus continuata, tenet animi princ.i.p.atum, motumque perficit tam cogitationis quam sensationis; quae secundum Cerebri diversam in omnium animalium structuram, mire variantur.--_Tolandi Pantheisticon, p. 12._

[18] 1796, 1797.

[19] Vide Report, Part II. p. 25.

[20] Report, p. 59.

[21] Ibid, 57.

[22] Report 54.

[23] "We shall use the general term of methodism, to designate these three cla.s.ses of fanatics, [Arminian and Calvinistic methodists, and the _evangelical_ clergymen of the church of England] not troubling ourselves to point out the finer shades, and nicer discriminations of lunacy, but treating them all as in one general conspiracy against common sense, and rational orthodox christianity."--_Edinburgh Review, Jan. 1808, p. 342._

[24] Traite Medico-Philosophique sur l'Alienation Mentale, 8vo. Paris, an.

9, p. 47.

[25] The late Reverend Dr. Willis.

[26] With respect to the persons, called Keepers, who are placed over the insane, public hospitals have generally very much the advantage. They are there better paid, which makes them more anxious to preserve their situations by attention and good behaviour: and thus they acquire some experience of the disease. But it is very different in the private receptacles for maniacs. They there procure them at a cheaper rate; they are taken from the plough, the loom, or the stable; and sometimes this tribe consists of decayed smugglers, broken excis.e.m.e.n, or discharged sheriffs' officers:

"All that at home no more can beg or steal."

How well such a description of persons is calculated to regulate and direct the conduct of an insane gentleman may be easily conjectured. If any thing could add to the calamity of mental derangement, it would be the mode which is generally adopted for its cure. Although an office of some importance and great responsibility, it is held as a degrading and odious employment, and seldom accepted but by idle and disorderly persons.

[27] Vide Cullen, First Lines, vol. iv. p. 154.

[28] "_D'uno luogo chiamato Timarahane, dove si castigano i matti._

"In Costantinopoli fece fare un luogo Sultan Paiaxit dove si dovessero menare i pazzi, accioche non anda.s.sero per la citta, facendo pazzie, et e fatto a modo d'uno Spedale, dove sono circa cento cinquanta guardiani in loro custodia, et sonvi medicine, et altre cose per loro bisogni, e i detti guardiani vanno per la citta con bastoni cercando i matti, et quando ne truovano alcuno, lo'ncatenano per il collo con cathene di ferro, et per le mani, et a suon di bastoni lo menano al detto luogo, et quivi gli mettono una catena al collo a.s.sai maggiore, che e posta nel muro, et viene sopra del letto, tal mente che nel letto per il collo tutti gli tengono incatenati, et vene saranno per ordine, lontano l'uno dall'altro numero di quaranta, i quali per piacere di quelli della citta molte volte sono visitati, et di continovo col bastone i guardiani gli stanno appresso: Percio che non essendovi guastano i letti, et tiransi le tavole l'uno a l'altro: et venuta l'hora del mangiare, i guardiani gli vanno esaminando tutti per ordine, et trovando alcuno, che non istia in buon proposito, crudelmente lo battono, et se a caso truovano alcuno, che non faccia piu pazzie, gli banno miglior cura, che a gli altri." _J. Costumi et la vita de Turchi di Gio. Antonio Menavino Genovese da Vultri, 12mo, in Fiorenza, 1551._

[29] Traite sur la Mania, page 103.

[30] The frequent recurrence of any propensity leads, by sure steps, to the final adjustment of the character; and even when the propensity is ideal, the repet.i.tion of the fits will, in the end, invest fancy with the habitudes of nature.--_Criticism on the Elegy written in a Country Church Yard, p. 3._

[31] Remarks on Dr. Batties' Treatise on Madness, p. 38.

[32] Dr. c.o.x, Practical Observations on Insanity, p. 28.

[33] Dr. John Monro's Remarks on Dr. Battie, p. 39.

[34] Vide Dr. c.o.x's _Practical_ Obs. on Insanity, p. 42.

[35] It is a painful recollection to recur to the number of interesting females I have seen, who, after having suffered a temporary disarrangement of mind, and undergone the brutal operation of _spouting_, in private receptacles for the insane, have been restored to their friends without a front tooth in either jaw. Unfortunately the task of forcing patients to take food or medicines is consigned to the rude hand of an ignorant and unfeeling servant: it should always be performed by the master or mistress of the mad-house, whose reputations ought to be responsible for the personal integrity of the unhappy beings committed to their care.

[36] Dr. c.o.x.

[37] See Dr. c.o.x's Advertis.e.m.e.nt prefixed to his book.

[38] Vide Report from the select committee appointed to enquire into the state of lunatics, page 25.

[39] Remarks on Dr. Batties' Treatise on Madness.

[40] See Dr. c.o.x, page 102.

[41] Dr. c.o.x, p. 61.

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