Observations on mental derangement : being an application of the principles of phrenology to the elucidation of the causes, symptoms, nature, and treatment of insanity / by Andrew Combe, M. D.

  • Combe, Andrew, 1797-1847.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on mental derangement : being an application of the principles of phrenology to the elucidation of the causes, symptoms, nature, and treatment of insanity / by Andrew Combe, M. D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    city of the principles by which he explained what had previously seemed contradictory and unintelli- gible; and, in proportion as I advanced, the scru- pulousness of statement, sobriety of judgment, and moral earnestness with which he advocated his views, and inculcated their importance, made me begin to apprehend that to condemn without inquii-y was not the way to ascertain the truth of Phreno- logy, or to become qualified to decide in a matter of medicine or of philosophy. I therefore resolved to pause, in order to make myself acquainted with the principles of the new physiology, and to resort, as he recommended, to observation and experience for the means of verifying or disproving their accuracy, before again hazarding an opinion on the subject. In caiTying this resolution into effect in the fol- lowing winter session, I had the advantage of being able to attend two Courses of Lectures delivered by Dr Spurzheim, at Paris, on the Anatomy, Physiolo- gy, and Pathology of the Brain and Nervous System, during one of which rather a striking confirmation of his doctrine occurred. In the middle of the lec- ture of 1st December 1818, a brain was handed in, with a request that Dr Spurzheim would say what dispositions it indicated, and he would then be in- formed how far he was correct. Dr Spurzheim