Children are generally exempted from this calamitous visitation; yet Frank relates the case of a child at St. Luke's who had been deranged since he was two years old. Age, to a certain extent, seems to influence insanity, and most individuals are alienated between their twentieth and fiftieth years. Haslam states, that out of one thousand six hundred and sixty-four patients admitted into Bedlam, nine hundred and ten came within this period of life. In France it appears that most cases of insanity are noticed between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. One-fifteenth of these cases among men, and one-sixth among women, are observed before their twentieth year; and in the wealthy classes of society one-fourth occur before the same period. The following table from Bicetre regarding age is not without interest. Years. Aged 15 20 30 40 50 60 Total. ------------------------------------------- 1784 ... 5 33 31 24 11 6 110 1785 ... 4 29 49 25 14 3 124 1786 ... 4 31 40 32 15 5 127 1787 ... 12 39 41 26 17 7 142 1788 ... 9 43 53 21 18 7 151 1789 ... 6 38 39 33 14 2 132 1790 ... 6 28 34 19 9 7 103 1791 ... 9 26 32 16 7 3 93 1792 ... 6 26 33 18 12 3 98 1793 ... 4 36 28 22 13 10 113 ---------------------------- Total 65 329 380 236 130 53 1193 Thus it would appear that the astounding events which took place in France, but more especially in Paris, from the year 1789, the breaking out of the revolution, to 1793, the reign of terror, had no effect upon the intellects of the population; unless it is supposed that the entire nation being in a state of insanity, either madmen were not noticed as any peculiarity, or rushed into mischief and were murdered. This observation as to the influence of public events is confirmed by the following statement of admissions in the Salpetriere during the comparatively tranquil years of 1811, 1812, 1813, and 1814, although many cases of insanity were said to have arisen from the harsh laws of the conscription. Years. Aged 20 25 30 35 40 50 60 70 80 Total. ------------------------------------------------------ 1811 ... 34 37 38 27 48 38 24 12 4 262 1812 ... 52 34 33 18 38 57 26 19 3 280 1813 ... 43 29 33 41 32 57 31 13 6 285 1814 ... 42 35 38 31 26 53 34 22 10 291 ---------------------------------------- Total 171 135 142 117 144 205 115 66 23 1118 Therefore one might fairly conclude that the taking of the Bastille, the execution of Louis XVI., the bloody sway of the Jacobins, the ambitious wars of Napoleon, and the restoration of Louis XVIII., did not in the slightest degree affect the brains of our happy and philosophical neighbours.