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.

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    with which recurrent mania always seems to me to have some close relation or resemblance ; and sometimes I have thought it do good and sometimes to be quite useless. Further trial of it, care being taken that it is not adulterated, is certainly desirable. Tartar emetic will often calm for a time the most furious maniac through the prostration which it produces, but it does no permanent good, and its employment for such purpose is rather a relic of the old system of quieting a patient by some vio- lent means or other short of actually killing him. If mercury be ever useful, and not mischievous, in the treatment of insanity, it is when given in small doses of the bichloride in cases that are becoming chronic, or where there is a suspicion of syphilis. To administer mercury systematically in general paralysis, as has been done, is as untenable in theory as it is undoubtedly per- nicious in practice. In all those cases of insanity in which tonics seem to be demanded by the state of the bodily health—and they are the majority of cases at one period or other of their course—iron and quinine may be given; and one of the best ways of giving them is in a mixture containing quinine, the tincture of the sesqui- chloride of iron, and chloric ether. In some cases it happens that an uncontrollable diarrhoea sets in and carries the patient off, nothing availing to check it: acetate of lead with opium and enemata of starch and laudanum are most likely to be useful. When insanity has become chronic, or when fixed delusions are established, there is small hope of special benefit from drugs. The general health being duly attended to, a systematic moral treatment will be best adapted to restore health of mind. Where there is persistent refusal of food, it must never be allowed to continue so as to endanger the bodily health; and if persuasion entirely fail, then the stomach-pump must be used to administer food. Those who are suicidal should be carefully watched at all times, and especially so on getting up in the morning, when the thoughts are gloomy, and the desperate impulse is apt to surprise and overpower them. The monomaniac, who has delu- sions that he is watched continually, or otherwise persecuted, must always be deemed dangerous to others; for at any time he may become so impatient of his sufferings as to make a fetal