Physiology and pathology of the mind / By Henry Maudsley.

  • Maudsley, Henry, 1835-1918.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiology and pathology of the mind / By Henry Maudsley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    10/468 (page vi)
    an immediate mental disquietude, and ultimately to give rise to the endeavour on my part to arrive at some definite conviction with regard to the physical conditions of mental function, and the relation of the phenomena of the sound and unsound mind. Of that endeavour the present work is the result. It can claim no more authority than what is due to a sincere purpose faithfully pursued, and to such truth as may be contained in it. The First Part, resting as it does mainly on the physiological method of inquiry into mental phenomena, will certainly not command the assent of those who put entire faith in the psychological method of interro- gating self-consciousness; it must appeal rather to those who have made themselves acquainted with the latest advances in physiology, and with the present state of physiological psychology in Germany, and who are familiar with the writ- ings of such as Professor Bain, Mr. Herbert Spencer, Dr. Lay cock, and Dr. Carpenter, in this country. The Second Part of the book may stand on its own account as a treatise on the causes, varieties, pathology, and treatment of mental diseases, apart from all question of the proper method to be pursued in the investigation of mental phenomena. Even those who advocate the psychological method of interrogating self-consciousness do not insist on the application of it to the scientific study of the madman's mind. In laying clown the plan of this work, and in thus entering xrpon a task not before systematically attempted, I could not fail to experience the serious disadvantage, not only of havin^ no guide to follow, but of being compelled by the scope of the work to deviate from the paths already made in metaphysics, physiology, and pathology respectively. In order to bring the results of the cultivation of these different brandies of science into any sort of harmony, it was plainly necessary not to travel too far on paths which diverged more and more with every step forward. For this reason I Lave passed by