The mental symptoms of brain disease : an aid to the surgical treatment of insanity, due to injury, haemorrhage, tumours, and other circumscribed lesions of the brain / by Bernard Hollander.

  • Hollander, Bernard, 1864-1934.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The mental symptoms of brain disease : an aid to the surgical treatment of insanity, due to injury, haemorrhage, tumours, and other circumscribed lesions of the brain / by Bernard Hollander. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    because the passions and instincts are nowadays more under the control of the understanding. Irascibility or anger is the active form of this instinct for self-preservation. It gives an impulse to inflict injury on the cause of the emotion. Any- thing that produces discomfort in us is likely to make us angry. Hence hunger causes irritability. By “ irascible insanity ” or “ mania furiosa ” is implied that form of mental derangement which is characterised by ungovernable spontaneous motor impulses and violent anger, with or without loss of knowledge of the surroundings, and at the basis whereof lies the emotion of irascibility. This derangement differs from simple mania. As already explained, Germans distinguish the two states by calling the one “Manie,” and the other “ Tobsucht.” Simple mania is the exact opposite to simple melancholia, and its symptoms consist of exuberant joy, excessive hilarity, and an overflow of spirits in generous impulses. There may be great mental and motor activity, but not with a destructive intent. The three types of insanity— simple or hilarious mania (“ Manie ”), violent mania (“ Tobsucht ”), and melancholia, are morbid forms of three emotional states, namely, cheerfulness, anger, and fear. Irascible insanity is a form of mental disturbance in which the prevailing symptom is anger. The patient may be so furious as to exhaust himself in shouts, threats, and actions, or his passion may