On the Curability of Certain Forms of Insanity, Epilepsy, Catalepsy, and Hysteria in FemalesBrown, Isaac Baker
Science
On the Curability of Certain Forms of Insanity, Epilepsy, Catalepsy, and Hysteria in Females
Brown, Isaac Baker
Clitoridectomy
After her last confinement, twenty-three years ago, she had puerperal
mania, from which she did not completely recover for six months. About
a year ago she began to show symptoms of mental derangement, first
exhibited in religious subjects, she constantly declaring that her
soul was irrevocably lost. About eight months ago she first tried to
destroy herself, by endeavouring to jump out of the window, &c., and
it was at this time thought advisable to place her in an asylum, where
she was kept four months, and when she left she was for a time much
better. While an inmate of the asylum, was made to take much exercise,
for which her husband says she is always better.
She gradually got worse, and came under the care of Dr. Forbes
Winslow, to whom I am indebted for the case. Her husband says that for
the last two or three months she has slept pretty well from 10 p.m.
till 2 a.m., when she would suddenly wake, and warn him that a
“frenzy” was coming on. This frenzy consisted in her rising up,
fighting out with her arms, and scratching or tearing any one near
her; in the paroxysm the desire was always to destroy her husband.
After a few minutes the mania would subside, and be succeeded, first
by a kind of stupor, and then very profuse perspirations. One
peculiarity about her is, that when in this state she does or says
anything foolish, she knows it, and is afterwards very annoyed and
ashamed of her conduct. She has a great fear that she will be
permanently mad.
The appetite has always been good, though she has said lately that she
cannot bear food, and that it always causes a horrid taste in her
mouth. She has, in a desultory manner, read many medical works, and
fancies that every one of her organs is in some way or other diseased.
_On examination_, she had the appearance of a woman about 60. Her
eyes, of a dark grey, were never quiet, and could not look you
straight in the face; the pupil was much and constantly dilated. The
tongue quite clean, and pulse good. Heart, lungs, and other organs
seemed to be healthy. She owned with great shame to long-continued
pernicious habits.
Dec. 14. I performed my usual operation.
Dec. 21. Has very much improved, and had no “frenzies” since the
operation; sleeps well, and for many hours, but will not own to being
better. Complains of her skin being dry, and “burning hot.” It is,
however, moist and cool; at times she perspires freely.
Dec. 26. Both husband and nurse consider her much improved. She has
been up both yesterday and to-day; sleeps and eats well. She is,
however, sulky; says she is very bad, and shall soon die.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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