A statistical contribution to the pathology of insanity / by T. Duncan Greenlees.

  • Greenlees, T. Duncan.
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A statistical contribution to the pathology of insanity / by T. Duncan Greenlees. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/28 (page 2)
    As this is purely a pathological contribution, however, I purpose confining my remarks to the naked-eye appearances of the various organs of those dying insane, a considerable propor¬ tion of whom were coloured patients, viz., Kaffirs, Hottentots, etc. Table I.—Showing the Causes of Death in 232 Persons dying Insane. Males: E., 78; C., 96. Females: E., 20; C., 38. Males. Females. Total. Percent¬ age of total. E. c. E. C. E. c. Diseases of nervous system 45 41 6 5 51 46 37’8 Exhaustion from mental disease 8 5 8 6 16 11 io'6 Diseases of respiratory system 9 17 2 12 11 29 15-6 „ circulatory „ 8 8 I 4 9 12 8-2 „ digestive „ . . 6 13 2 9 8 22 117 ,, genito-urinary,, 2 2 — — 2 2 I'2 Constitutional diseases 4 12 2 7 6 19 9-8 Senile decay ..... 3 6 3 I 6 7 5-1 Totals §5 104 1 44 109 148 lOO'O The causes of death in those dying insane.—In Table I the causes of death are shown in 232 cases, and it is interesting to note that diseases of the nervous system account for a large proportion of the deaths. In slightly over 8 per cent, of the total, diseases of the circulatory system—chiefly organic heart disease—were the cause of death. The respiratory system accounted for 154 per cent, of the total, and this after excluding certain cases of general tuberculosis where the lungs were secondarily aflected. Diseases of the digestive system caused death in thirty cases—chiefly among natives,—being at the rate of 11'7 per cent. ; death was due in the majority of these cases to affections of the intestinal tract, such as dysentery, etc. As regards the genito-urinary system, it is interesting to note that in no case was death due to lesions, although uterine and ovarian disease existed in a number of cases,