306 Memoirs of Erasmus Darwin, M. D. 



Where the patient is debilitated a quick pulse sometimes 

 attends insane people, which is nevertheless generally only 

 a symptom of the debility, owing to the too great expendi- 

 ture of sensorial power ; or of the paucity of its production, 

 as in inirntative, or in sensitive inirntated fever. 



But nevertheless where the quick pulse is permanent, it 

 shows the presence of fever; and as the madness then gene- 

 rally arises from the disagreeable sensations attending the 

 fever, it is so far a good symptom; because when the fever 

 is cured, or ceases spontaneously, the insanity most fre- 

 quently vanishes at the same time. 



The stimulus of so much volition supports insane people 

 under variety of hardships, and contributes to the cure of 

 diseases from debility, as sometimes occurs towards the end 

 of fevers. And, on the same account, they bear large doses 

 of medicines to procure any operation on them ; as emetics, 

 and cathartics, which, before they produce their effect in in- 

 verting the motions of the stomach in vomiting, or of the 

 absorbents of the bowels in purging, must first weaken the 

 natural actions of those organs. 



From these considerations it appears, that the indications 

 of cure must consist in removing the cause of the pain, 

 whether it arises from a delirious idea, or from a real fact, 

 or from bodily djsease; or secondly, if this cannot be done, 

 by relieving the pain in consequence of such idea or disease. 

 The first is sometimes effected by presenting frequently in a, 

 day contrary ideas to show the fallacy, or the too great es- 

 timation, of the painful ideas. 2dly, By change of place, 

 and thus presenting the stimulus of new objects, as a long 

 journey. 3dly, By producing forgetfulness of the idea, or 

 object, which causes their pain ; by removing all things 

 which recall it to their minds; and avoiding all conversa- 

 tion on similar subjects. For I suppose no disease of the 

 mind is so perfectly cured by other means as by forgetfulness. 



Secondly, the pain in consequence of the ideas or bodily 

 diseases above described is to be removed, first, by evacua- 

 tions, as vencscciion, emetics, and cathartics ; and then by 

 large doses of opium, or by the vertigo occasioned by a cir- 

 eulating swing, or by a sea-voyage, which, as they affect 



the 



