Observations on the phenomena of insanity : Being a supplement to Observations on the ... influence of ... the atmosphere on human health and disease / [T. Forster].

  • Forster, T. (Thomas), 1789-1860
Date:
[1819]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the phenomena of insanity : Being a supplement to Observations on the ... influence of ... the atmosphere on human health and disease / [T. Forster]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/18
    trine to insanity to another section, I shall proceed to enumerate some of the symptoms of several dissimilar nervous complaints. § 3. Too much exertion of the eyes, independently of premature paralysis of the nervous apparatus, produces local inflammation in the circumjacent parts. But opthalmic diseases occur also from sympathetic and atmospherical influence : so also of other parts. The auditory apparatus affords an example : violent sounds, like sudden glare of light to the eyes, cause inflammation of the organ. Deafness is frequently caused by an accumulation of blood, either producing obstruction in the Eustachian trumpet, or in some other part of the ear. It is sympiithetic, is under the influence of the atmosphere, and is sometimes relieved by haemorrhages. In Epi¬ lepsy, violent affections of the Mind bring on the attack ; while it is sometimes referrible to the sympathy of the Brain and nerves with the overloaded or irritated stomach; or is the result of the two causes acting together. I need not enumerate other diseases. I have already called attention to the nervous irritation, from local, sym¬ pathetic, and atmospherical irritants, as the principal cause ;—^to increased vascular action and disordered bowels, as the regular con¬ comitant and maintaining force in the disease ;—to the periodical recurrence of the symptoms which mark stages in the progress of the malady ;—and to the successful treatment by means of altera¬ tive medicines and depletion. §4. An irritable state of the Brain, and inflammatory action of its vessels, is common.to insanity of almost all kinds, and to ner¬ vous diseases of very dissimilar sorts. But the . partial affections of the organs explain the peculiarities of the symptoms. Recent discoveries in physiology have taught us to regard the brain as a complication of many distinct organs, which are the material in¬ struments of different sentiments, propensities, and intellectual fa¬ culties, of animal life. As the natural and healthy functions of these organs is different, so must they excite different maniacal ideas in a state of disease. We find, agreeably to this view, that when any particular organ be larger than ordinary in mad persons, their insanity often consists in some derangement of that particular faculty of which the large organ is the instrument. I have ex¬ amined too many cases of melancholy, for example, to doubt of the following fact, which I have constantly found; that the organ of cautiousness, or that part of the brain under the upper posterior part of the parietal bone, is generally much developed in that modification of insanity. I have observed frequently a very large cerebellum in persons deranged hy furor uterinus ; and in those who, during their maniacal paroxysms, have manifested violent erotic propensities. I recollect two cases of persons with a natural genius for mechanics, who, when insane, raved of machinery, and who