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
S. W. a woman thirty-five years of age, was admitted into the hospital
June 3, 1797. It was stated that she had been one month disordered, and
had never experienced any prior affection of the same kind. The disease
was said to have been produced by misfortunes which had attended her
family, and from frequent quarrels with those who composed it. She was in
a truly melancholy state; she was lost to all the comforts of this life,
and conceived herself abandoned for ever by God. She refused all food and
medicines. In this wretched condition she continued until July 29th, when
she lost the use of her right side. On the 30th she became lethargic, and
continued so until her death, which happened on August the 3d. She was
opened two days after death. There was a large collection of water
between the different membranes of the brain, amounting at least to four
ounces: the pia mater was very much inflamed, and was separable from the
convolutions of the brain with unusual facility: the medullary substance
was abundantly loaded with bloody points: the consistence of the brain was
remarkably firm.
CASE XXV.
D. W. a man about fifty-eight years of age, had been admitted upon the
incurable establishment in 1789. He was of a violent and mischievous
disposition, and had nearly killed one of the keepers at a private
madhouse, previously to his admission into the hospital. At all times he
was equally deranged respecting his opinions, although he was occasionally
more quiet and tractable: these intervals were extremely irregular as to
their duration and period of return. He was of a very constipated habit,
and required large doses of cathartic medicines to procure stools. On
August 3, 1797, he was in a very furious state; complained of costiveness,
for which he took his ordinary quantity of opening physic, which operated
as usual. On the same day he ate his dinner with a good appetite; but
about six o'clock in the evening he was struck with hemiplegia, which
deprived him completely of the use of his left side. He lay insensible of
what passed about him, muttered constantly to himself, and appeared to be
keeping up a kind of conversation. The pulse was feeble, but not oppressed
or intermitting. He never had any stertor. He continued in this state
until the 12th, when he died. He was opened twelve hours after death.
There was some water between the tunica arachnoidea and pia mater: the
former membrane was opake in many places; bearing the marks of former
inflammation: in the veins of the membranes of the brain there was a
considerable appearance of air, and they were likewise particularly
charged with blood: the vessels of the medullary substance were numerous
and enlarged. On opening the right lateral ventricle, which was much
distended, it was found filled with dark and grumous blood; some had also
escaped into the left, but in quantity inconsiderable when compared with
what was contained in the other: the consistence of the brain was very
soft.
CASE XXVI.
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