Ninth annual report of the directors of the Glasgow Asylum for Lunatics, : submitted, in terms of their charter, to a general meeting of contributors, 9th January, 1823.

  • Glasgow Royal Lunatic Asylum
Date:
1823
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ninth annual report of the directors of the Glasgow Asylum for Lunatics, : submitted, in terms of their charter, to a general meeting of contributors, 9th January, 1823. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/34 page 10
    attendant. As soon, however, as maniacal illusions are betrayed, the nature of the case is manifest. The different physiological views which have been taken of the nature of lunacy, may have possibly had some share, in leading to certain discrepancies, which we have observed in the accounts given of the symptoms. Some of the most intelligent writers on the subject, are not even agreed, as to the organ which is primarily affected; * nor have they settled whether lunacy is to be ascribed chiefly to moral, or to physical causes. And although we are disposed to think, that the disease originates in the brain; and that, perhaps in every instance, there exists a physical cause, or predisposition; yet the nature and limits of this Report, forbid us to enter on the discussion of these points. In a considerable proportion of the cases which come under our care, we find that some change is recollected, by the friends of the Patient, to have taken place, in his temper, disposition, manners, or habits, before there was any suspicion entertained that his mind was about to become deranged. In some cases, only for a few days, in others, for weeks or even months, the Patient is observed to have become more sedate and pensive; or at * “ Les preludes de l’invasion et du retour des attaques de manie peuvent etre tres-varies; mais il semble en general que le siege primitif de cette alienation est dans la region de 1’estomac et des intestins, et que c’est de ce centre que se propage comme par une espece d’irradiation le trouble de l’entendement.”—Pinel, “ Tantot les extremites du systeme nerveux et les foyers de sensibilite places dans diverses regions, tantot 1’appareil digestif, tantot le foie et ses dependances sont le premier sidge du mal.”—Esquirol.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3