When the patient is in a furious state, and uncontrolable by kindness and persuasion, he will generally endeavour, by any means, to do as much mischief as possible to the person who opposes him; and instances are not rare where he has overcome the keeper. When the maniac finds his strength, or skill in the contest prevail, he is sure to make the most of such advantage, and the consequence of his victory has sometimes proved fatal to the keeper. On the other hand, it ought to be the object of the keeper to subdue the maniac without doing him any personal injury; and after he has overpowered, to confine him, and thus prevent him from attempting any further mischief. When the patient is a strong man, and highly irritated, it will be impossible for any keeper singly to overcome him without his most forcible exertions, and these cannot be put forth without great violence to the patient. But subduing the maniac, is not the only object, he must afterwards be secured by the straight-waistcoat, or by manacles. It will be seen, that the keeper, who, by the great exertion of his bodily powers, has become faint and exhausted, will be very little in a condition to secure the patient, as his hands must be employed with the implements necessary to confine him; moreover, the patient will have additional strength from the temperate manner, in which he is made to live; whereas, it is but too common, for the keeper to indulge in a diet and beverage, which induce corpulence and difficulty of breathing.[26] As management is employed to produce a salutary change upon the patient, and to restrain him from committing violence on others and himself; it may here be proper to enquire, upon what occasions, and to what extent, coercion may be used. The term coercion has been understood in a very formidable sense, and not without reason. It has been recommended by very high medical authority to inflict corporal punishment upon maniacs, with a view of rendering them rational, by impressing terror.[27] From Dr. Mead's section on madness it would appear, that in his time flagellation was a common remedy for this disorder. "There is no disease more to be dreaded than madness. For what greater unhappiness can befal a man, than to be deprived of his reason and understanding, to attack his fellow creatures with fury, like a wild beast; to be tied down, _and even beat_, to prevent his doing mischief to himself or others."--_Medical Precepts and Cautions, page 74._ Dramatic writers abound with allusions to the whip, in the treatment of madness. "Love is meerely a madnesse, and I tel you, deserves as well a darke house, and a whip, as madmen do: and the reason why they are not so punish'd and cured, is, that the Lunacie is so ordinary, that the whippers are in love too."--_As You Like It, act III. scene 2._