Observations on Madness and Melancholy: Including Practical Remarks on those Diseases together with Cases and an Account of the Morbid Appearances on DissectionHaslam, John
Science
Observations on Madness and Melancholy: Including Practical Remarks on those Diseases together with Cases and an Account of the Morbid Appearances on Dissection
Haslam, John
Depression, Mental; Melancholy; Psychiatry -- Early works to 1900; Psychology, Pathological
C. M. a man, forty years of age, was admitted into the hospital, December
26, 1795. It was stated, that he had been disordered two months previously
to his having been received as a patient. His friends were unacquainted
with any cause, which was likely to have induced the disease. During the
time he was in the house he seemed sulky, or rather stupid. He never asked
any questions, and if spoken to, either replied shortly, or turned away
without giving any answer. He scarcely appeared to take notice of any
thing which was going forward, and if told to do any little office
generally forgot what he was going about, before he had advanced half a
dozen steps. He remained in this state until the beginning of May, 1796,
when his legs became oedematous, and his abdomen swollen. He grew very
feeble and helpless, and died rather suddenly, May 19th. He was opened
about forty-eight hours after death. The pericranium and dura mater
adhered firmly to the scull; in many places there was an opake whiteness
of the tunica arachnoidea. About four ounces of water were found in the
ventricles. The plexus choroides were uncommonly pale. The medullary
substance afforded hardly any bloody points when cut into. The consistence
of the brain I cannot describe better than by saying, it was doughy.
CASE XI.
S. M. a man, thirty-six years of age, was admitted as an incurable patient
in the year 1790. Of the former history of his complaint I have no
information. As his habits, which frequently came under my observation,
were of a singular nature, it may not here be improper to relate
them.--Having at some period of his confinement been mischievously
disposed, and, in consequence, put under coercion, he never afterwards
found himself comfortable when at liberty. When he rose in the morning he
went immediately to the room where he was usually confined, and placed
himself in a particular corner, until the keeper came to secure him. If
he found any other patient had pre-occupied his situation, he became very
outrageous, and generally forced them to leave it. When he had been
confined, for which he appeared anxious, as he bore any delay with little
temper, he employed himself throughout the remainder of the day, by
tramping or shuffling his feet. He was constantly muttering to himself, of
which scarcely one word in a sentence was intelligible. When an audible
expression escaped him it was commonly an imprecation. If a stranger
visited him, he always asked for tobacco, but seldom repeated his
solicitation. He devoured his food with avidity, and always muttered as he
ate.
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