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
J. S. a man forty-four years of age, was received into the hospital June
24, 1797. He had been disordered nine months previous to his admission.
His insanity was attributed to a violent quarrel, which had taken place
with a young woman, to whom he was attached, as he shortly afterwards
became sullen and melancholy.
During the time he remained in the house he seldom spoke, and wandered
about like a forlorn person. Sometimes he would suddenly stop, and keep
his eyes fixed on an object, and continue to stare at it for more than an
hour together. Afterwards he became stupid, hung down his head, and
drivelled like an ideot. At length he grew feeble and emaciated, his legs
were swollen and oedematous, and on September 13th, after eating his
dinner, he crawled to his room, where he was found dead about an hour
afterwards. He was opened two days after death. The tunica arachnoidea had
a milky whiteness, and was thickened. There was a considerable quantity of
water between that membrane and the pia mater, which latter was loaded
with blood: the lateral ventricles were very much enlarged, and
contained, by estimation, about six ounces of transparent fluid: the brain
was of its natural consistence.
CASE XXVII.
T. W. a man thirty-eight years of age, was admitted into the house May 16,
1795. He had then been disordered a year. His disease was stated to have
arisen, from his having been defrauded, by two of his near relations, of
some property, which he had accumulated by servitude. Having remained in
the hospital the usual time of trial for cure, he was afterwards continued
on the incurable establishment, in consequence of a strong determination
he had always shewn, to be revenged on those people who had disposed of
his property, and a declared intention of destroying himself. He was in a
very miserable state, conceived that he had offended God, and that his
soul was burning in Hell. Notwithstanding he was haunted with these
dreadful imaginations, he acted with propriety upon most occasions. He
took delight in rendering any assistance in his power to the people about
the house, and waited on those who were sick, with a kindness that made
him generally esteemed. At some period of his life he had acquired an
unfortunate propensity to gaming, and whenever he had collected a few
pence, he ventured them at cards. His losses were borne with very little
philosophy, and the devil was always accused of some unfair interposition.
On September 14, 1797, he appeared jaundiced, the yellowness daily
increased, and his depression of mind was more tormenting than ever. From
the time he was first attacked by the jaundice he had a strong
presentiment that he should die. Although he took the medicines which were
ordered, as a mark of attention to those who prescribed them, he was
firmly persuaded they could be of no service. The horror and anxiety he
felt was, he said, sufficient to kill him independantly of the jaundice.
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