Observations on Insanity: With Practical Remarks on the Disease and an Account of the Morbid Appearances on DissectionHaslam, John
Science
Observations on Insanity: With Practical Remarks on the Disease and an Account of the Morbid Appearances on Dissection
Haslam, John
Mental illness
M. G. a woman about fifty years of age had been admitted on the incurable
establishment in July 1785. She had for some years before been in a
disordered state, and was considered as a dangerous patient. Her temper
was violent; and if interrupted in her usual habits, she became very
furious. Like many others among the incurables, she was an insulated
being: she never spoke except when disturbed. Her greatest delight
appeared to be in getting into some corner to sleep; and the interval
between breakfast and dinner was usually past in this manner. At other
times she was generally committing some petty mischief, such as slyly
breaking a window, dirtying the rooms of the other patients, or
purloining their provisions. She had been for some months in a weak and
declining state, but would never give any account of her complaints. On
January 5, 1797, she died, apparently worn out. The head was opened three
days after death. The pericranium adhered but slightly to the scull, nor
was the dura mater firmly attached. There was water between the membranes
of the brain; and the want of transparency of the tunica arachnoidea,
indicated marks of former inflammation. The posterior part of the
hemispheres of the brain was of a brownish colour. In this case there was
a considerable appearance of air in the veins; the medullary substance,
when cut, was full of bloody points: the lateral ventricles were small,
but filled with water: the plexus choroides were loaded with vesicles of a
much larger size than usual: the consistence of the brain was natural.
CASE XVIII.
S. T. a woman aged fifty-seven, was admitted into the house January 14,
1797. It was stated by her friends, that she had been disordered eight
months: they were unacquainted with any cause, which might have induced
the disease. She had evidently suffered a paralytic attack, which
considerably affected her speech, and occasioned her to walk lame with the
right leg. As she avoided all conversation, it was not possible to collect
any further account of her case. Three days after her admission, she had
another paralytic stroke, which deprived her entirely of the use of the
right side. Two days afterwards she died. She was opened forty-eight hours
after death. There was a small quantity of water between the tunica
arachnoidea and pia mater, and a number of opake spots on the former
membrane. On the pia mater covering the posterior part of the left
hemisphere of the brain, there was an extravasated blotch, about the size
of a shilling: the medullary substance was unusually loaded with blood:
the lateral ventricles were large, but did not contain much water: the
consistence of the brain was very soft.
CASE XIX.
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