A manual of psychological medicine : containing the history, nosology, description, statistics, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of insanity, with an appendix of cases / by John Charles Bucknill and by Daniel H. Tuke.

  • Bucknill, John Charles, 1817-1897.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of psychological medicine : containing the history, nosology, description, statistics, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of insanity, with an appendix of cases / by John Charles Bucknill and by Daniel H. Tuke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    38/572 (page 36)
    Asclepiades officiis solitis amoveri jubet segrotantes, et vinculis con- sfringi, et abstinentia ciborum nimia coerceri, et siti affici, turn vino corrumpi vel in amorem induci.^ Thus, although he prescribed vinum vel amor, he scarcely merits the praise which Feuchtersleben has bestowed upon him, \vhen he observes, that he did not withhold his well-known motto, Oito tuto et jucunde, from the therapeutics of insanity. According to this writer, Asclepiades recommended that books should be read to the patient in an inaccurate manner, in order that he might be induced to correct the mistakes. His disciple, Titus, also enumerates stripes among the curative agents in the treatment of mania; and it would not be unfair, perhaps, to conclude that the practice was not unknown to his master. Themison, another disciple of Asclepiades, and who is often re- garded as the real founder of the School of the Methodici, styled phlebotomotos, by Cgelius, followed, to a considerable extent, in the steps of his predecessor, as regards treatment; but prescribed the bath and a more liberal regimen, and ordered astringent fomen- tations (constrictiva fomenta). The treatment recommended by the celebrated Celsus, in his chapter entitled. Be tribus insanice generibus,'' may next be consi- dered. On the whole, the directions of this physician are harsh, and scarcely merit the praise which some authors have bestowed upon them. It is true, that he admits, in regard to those who rambla in their discourse, or attempt some trifling injury with their hands, that it is unnecessary to employ any rough', coercive measures. He deemed it proper, however, to subdue those who were more violent, by a very compulsory treatment, lest they should injure themselves or others. Their audacity must be coerced, and they must be brought to submission by blows, as in the case of any one else who requires restraint. Excessive mirth must be checked by scoldmg If conciliatory measures fail, patients much be cured by some kind of torment; thus, should they be detected in falsehood or deceit,-they must be hungered, or bound in chains, or flogged {fame, vzncuhs plagis, coercendus est). By these means, he assures us, they will before long, through the influence of fear, be thoroughly disposed to come to terms, to eat anything, and even their memory, he says, will thus be refreshed. For, to startle them suddenly, and greatly to ' Ctelius Aur. op. cit. p. 339. 2 Lib. iii, cap. xviii. Celsus is supposed to have been born, B.C. JU.