The morbid anatomy of the brain, in mania and hydrophobia : with the pathology of these two diseases, as collected from the papers of the late Andrew Marshal ... : with an account of some experiments, to ascertain whether the pericardium and ventricles of the brain contain water in a state of health / to which is prefixed a sketch of his life by S. Sawrey.

Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The morbid anatomy of the brain, in mania and hydrophobia : with the pathology of these two diseases, as collected from the papers of the late Andrew Marshal ... : with an account of some experiments, to ascertain whether the pericardium and ventricles of the brain contain water in a state of health / to which is prefixed a sketch of his life by S. Sawrey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    334/358 (page 276)
    In such instances as these, the person dying from an other disease not connected with the head, dissection most probably would disco- ver no traces of insanity. The disease con- sisted in disordered action of the brain, which had not yet affected the structure. Hence, in the first instance, the strong remark that was addressed i;o the patient counteracted the newly-formed diseased action in the vessels of the brain, and restored the healthy action. Tor it must be admitted, that the mind acts upon the vessels of the brain, as well as the vessels of the brain upon the mind. In the human brain, as'in other organs, a cause having produced its effect, the effect often increases the susceptibility, and thereby the power of the cause becomes increased; in other words, a condition of parts more favour- able to the operation of the cause is induced. In health it is so ; for example, volition pro- duces contraction in a muscle, and contrac-