A manual of psychological medicine : containing the history, nosology, description, statistics, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of insanity, with an appendix of cases / by John Charles Bucknill and Daniel Hack Tuke.

  • Bucknill, John Charles, 1817-1897.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of psychological medicine : containing the history, nosology, description, statistics, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of insanity, with an appendix of cases / by John Charles Bucknill and Daniel Hack Tuke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    44/658 (page 24)
    Cselius regarded it as essentially necessary to place the maniacal in a room moderately liglit and warm, and to avoid everything of an exciting character; pictures were not to be allowed; nor was the window to be too high, nor was the room to be in the upper story, the reason being added, that many when seized with madness have thrown themselves out. The bed was to be firm, and so placed that the patient could not be disturbed by the sight of persons entering the room ; it was to be of straw, soft, and well beaten, but not broken. If the patient was in danger of injuring himself, soft wool, moistened, was applied to the head, neck, and chest. Thus, instead of having a padded room, Cselius padded his patient. The duty of attendants, in regard to deception, is clearly laid down. Tliey were to beware, on the one hand, of seeming to confirm the patient's delusions, and thus increase his disorder; and, on the other, they were to be careful not to exasperate him, by too much opposition; but at one time by indulgent condescension, at another by insinua- tion, endeavour to correct his delusions. Should the patient attempt to escape, and be with difficulty restrained, or exasper- ated with seclusion, then, says CjeHus, with admirable percep- tion, you must employ more attendants. Let these, he adds, without the patient perceiving the real object in vicAv, engage themselves in applying friction to his limbs. Further, should this treatment fail, and the violence be great, a ligature (ligatio) may be resorted to, being quietly applied, and the limbs pro- tected by wool. Should the patient have been accustomed to submission and reverence, this, he observes, will not require frequent repetition—for such repetition would induce contempt, and when patients do not yield to such a course of treatment, then it becomes necessary to subdue them by inducing fear or awe. Should the patient's eyes be afifected by the light, they must, according to our author, be shaded; but he adds, with great discrimination, in such a way that other parts of the body may not be deprived of light. We have already noticed the views of Asclepiades, regarding abstinence. Cselius directed that abstinence from food might be carried so far as to induce slight hunger; adding, that the strength may be reduced by bleeding (but on no account from both arms), if the malady require it, even during such abstinence, should there be nothing present to contra-indicate it. The food was to be