A discourse on mental philosophy as connected with mental disease : delivered before the Massachusetts Medical Society, June 2, 1830 / by Rufus Wyman.

  • Wyman, Rufus, 1778-1842.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse on mental philosophy as connected with mental disease : delivered before the Massachusetts Medical Society, June 2, 1830 / by Rufus Wyman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    or a day. The attacks of insanity are commonly gradual, and in passing from a state of sound mind to a state of derangement, the changes are almost im- perceptible. ' Such thin partitions do the bounds divide,' that it may be difficult to form a satisfactory opinion, whether an individual be, or be not deranged. In determining a question so important to him, the first inquiry should certainly be to ascertain the actual states of mind, as manifested by the countenance, conversation, and con- duct. But this knowledge will be of little use, unless it be compared with some standard—the standard of sound mind. The medical student is required to learn of chem- istry and natural philosophy the laws of inanimate matter—to toil, at the risk of life, in learning the struc- ture of the body, and the functions of its organs ; yet it is only incidentally, that the functions of the mind become an object of his attention. That, which ac- quires all knowledge, may itself remain unknown. A knowledge of the faculties of the human mind, and the laws of its operations, can be acquired by no man except by deep attention to the mental changes, of which he is conscious. He must find within himself the facts and experiments, from which alone he can deduce the principles of mental science. In making these deductions, he will discover a new world, beau- tiful and wonderful, ' the image of God.' Mental philosophy is interesting to physicians, as men of science. It will repay their labors, as curious men, seeking amusement; as students of nature, of good morals, and of sound religion. It is also inter-