Medical Jurisprudence, Volume 1 (of 3)Paris, John Ayrton
Science
Medical Jurisprudence, Volume 1 (of 3)
Paris, John Ayrton
Medical laws and legislation -- Great Britain
Mr. _Greenwood_ was bred to the bar and acted as “Chairman at the
Quarter Sessions, but, becoming diseased, and receiving in a fever a
draught from the hand of his brother, the delirium taking its ground
then, connected itself with that idea; and he considered his brother as
having given him a potion, with a view to destroy him[511]. He recovered
in all other respects, but that morbid image never departed; and that
idea appeared connected with the will, by which he disinherited his
brother. Nevertheless it was considered so necessary to have some
precise rule, that, though a verdict had been obtained in the Common
Pleas against the will, the judge strongly advised the jury to find the
other way, and they did accordingly find in favour of the will. Farther
proceedings took place afterwards, and concluded in a compromise.” Lord
_Eldon ubi supra_.
The records of Bedlam and Saint Lukes are full of similar instances of
persons insane on only one point; where that point may lead to mischief,
it is proper that the party should be placed under restraint; where the
aberration is harmless, it would be cruel to add imprisonment to the
evil of the disorder, running also the risk of producing an augmentation
of the disease; for it may safely be taken as a rule, that persons
labouring under limited, will be predisposed to general insanity, and
therefore it is at least necessary to watch them minutely, lest some
less harmless derangement should seize them at the moment when it is
least expected.
LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account