It is evident that the treatment which this man received at the hands of his friends, tended to aggravate, instead of lessening his insanity. And I may remark, too, that the notion which he derived from this treatment, in relation to Retreats, false as it was, was founded on more plausible reasons as they were presented to his mind, than are some of the opinions that are adopted by some sane men in the community. Fifthly. The _general_ effect of deception, aside from the individual which it is supposed it will benefit, is injurious. The considerations on which I have already remarked, have had regard entirely to the person that is deceived, and I think that I have shown most clearly, that even taking this narrow view of the influence of deception, it is in almost all cases a bad influence: and therefore as we cannot tell in what cases this influence will be good, it is impolitic, and should be entirely discarded. Let us now go farther, and looking beyond the individuals who are the subjects of the deception, we shall see its influence extending all around from these individuals, as so many radiating points of influence, leavening the whole mass of society with a most poisonous leaven. It is not an influence that can be shut up in the case of any individual, in that one breast, or within that one chamber of sickness. That confidence, which should always exist in the intercourse of the sick with their physicians and friends, and which may be made the channel of great and essential benefits to them, is materially impaired, often even destroyed by such deception. And this effect is unfortunately not confined to those who practice it, but the imputation rests upon others. The distrust thus produced often exerts a depressing influence in those cases, where the cordial influence of hope is most urgently needed, and where it can be administered in consonance with the most scrupulous veracity. It is well if, under such circumstances, the physician can appeal to the patient’s own experience of his frankness in all his previous intercourse with him.