Insanity tested by science, and shown to be a disease rarely connected with permanent organic lesion of the brain. And on that account far more susceptible of cure than has hitherto been supposed / [Charles Mountford Burnett].

  • Burnett, C. M. (Charles Mountford), 1807-1866
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Insanity tested by science, and shown to be a disease rarely connected with permanent organic lesion of the brain. And on that account far more susceptible of cure than has hitherto been supposed / [Charles Mountford Burnett]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/128 (page 35)
    and he appeared to recover hisreason. By this means a person suffering from ague, and another from lepra, were cured without any untoward result. But, as might be supposed, the injudicious manner of applying so formidable a remedy soon brought this method into disuse. The idiot died soon after from the effects of hematuria, brought on by a second application of the remedy, the first having induced great mental dis- turbance. After this, a young prince of the blood royal, and two individuals under Riva, having lost their lives by the operation, it almost from this time, as a remedy, passed into complete desuetude. The facts, however, elucidate the question of the close connexion the blood has with the phenomena of mind, and for this cause we mention them. The composition of the brain, according to Vauquelin’s analysis, is as follows : Albumen : ; ; : aiiig tat Fatty matter. i ; ptr G28 Phosphorus. . ° : ; 0 d°5O Osmazome : : : pO RE OY. Acids, salts, cups ; : : ye lo Water : ; ; . .« 80°00 He considered the quantity of phosphorus in fresh brain was as much as one per cent., or one third of the weight of the fatty matter. These materials, by a still further analysis given by Sass and Pfaff, show the primary elements to be— Carbon . ; : ‘ : : : . 53°48 Hydrogen . ; ; : : - eet hg Nitrogen : : ; ; ‘ . ae O10 Oxygen. ‘ ; é » ‘ as? 1849 Fixed salts. . , : : ; . 336 Phosphorus ; . : ; as Et CS We may thus see that carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are largely engaged to form the fatty matter, which, Composition of the brain, according to Vauquelin. By Sass and Pfaff.