3-52 DISEASES Class III. * a*. 



rather than promotes their cure ; which is forwarded by change 

 of ideas in confequence of change of place and of objects, as by 

 travelling or faiiing. 



The circumftances which render confinement neceflary, are 

 firft, if the lunatic is liable to injure others, which muft be judg- 

 ed of by the outrage he has already committed. 2dly. If he is 

 likely to injure himfelf ; this alfo muft be judged of by the def- 

 pondency of his mina, if fuch exifts. 3diy. If he cannot take 

 care of his affairs. "Where none of theie circumftances exift, 

 there lhould be no confinement. For though the miftaken idea 

 continues to exift, yet if no actions are produced in confequence 

 of it, the patient cannot be called in lane. He can only be term- 

 ed delirious. If every one, who poiTeiTes miftaken ideas, or who 

 puts falie eftimates on things, was liable to confinement, I know 

 not who of my readers might not tremble at the fight of a mad- 

 houfe ! 



The moft convenient diftribution of infanities will be into 

 general, as mania mutabilis, ftudium inane, and vigilia ; and 

 into partial infanities. Thefe laft again may be fubdivided into 

 defires and averfions, many of which are fucceeded by pleafura- 

 ble or painful ideas, by fury or dejection, according to the de- 

 gree or violence of their exertions. Hence the analogy between 

 the infanities cf the mind, and the convulfions of the mufclea 

 iribed in the preceding genus, is curioufly exact. The con- 

 vulfions without Itupor, are either juft fuilrcient to obliterate the 

 pain, which occafions them ; or are fucceeded by greater pain^ 

 as in the convulfio dolcrifica. So the exertions in the mania, 

 mutabilis are either juft fufEcient to allay the pain which occa- 

 fions them, and the patient dwells comparatively in a quiet 

 ft ate •, or thofe exertions excite painful ideas, which are fucceed- 

 ed by furious difcourfes, or outrageous actions. The ftudium 

 inane, or reverie, refembles epilepfy, in which there is no fenfi- 

 bility to the ftimuii of external objects. Vigilia, or watchful- 

 nzfc, may be compared to the general writhing of the body > 

 which is juft a fufficient exertion to relieve the pain which occa- 

 fions it. Erotomania may be compared to trifmus, or other muf- 

 cular fixed fpafm, without much fuhfequent pain j and mceror 

 to cramp of the mufcles of the leg, or other fixed fpafm with 

 fubfequent pain. Ail ihefe coincidences contribute to {hew, as 

 explained in Sect. 111. 5, that our ideas are motions of the Im- 

 mediate organs of fenfe obeying the fame laws as our mufcular 

 motions. 



The violence of action accompanying infanity depends much 

 on the education of the perfon ; thofe who have been proudly 

 educated with unre (trained paflions, are liable to greater fury ■„ 



and 



