303 DISEASES CLASS III. 1. & 



rather than promotes their cure; which is forwarded by change 

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

 travelling or sailing. 



The circumstances which render confinement necessary, are, 

 first, if the kinatic is liable to injure others, which must be judg- 

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

 likely to injure himself ; this also must be judged of by the de- 

 spondency of his mind, if such exists. 3dly. If he cannot take 

 care of his affairs. Where none of these circumstances exist, 

 there should be no confinement. For though the mistaken idea 

 continues to exist, yet if no actions are produced in consequence 

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

 ed dilirious. If every one who possesses mistaken ideas, or who 

 puts false estimates on things, was liable to confinement, I know 

 not who of my readers might not tremble at the sight of a mad 

 house! 



The most convenient distribution of insanities will be into 

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

 into partial insanities. These last again may be subdivided into 

 desires and aversions, many of which are succeeded by pleasur- 

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

 gree of violence of their exertions. Hence the analogy between 

 the insanities of the mind, and the convulsions of the muscles 

 described in the preceding genus, is curiously exact. The con- 

 vulsions without stupor, are either just sufficient to obliterate the 

 pain, which occasions them; or are succeeded by greater pain, 

 as in the convulsio dolorifica. So the exertions in the mania 

 mutabilis are either just sufficient to allay the pain which occa- 

 sions them, and the patient dwells comparatively in a quiet state; 

 or those exertions excite painful ideas, which are succeeded by 

 furious discourses, or outrageous actions. The studium inane, 

 or reverie, resembles epilepsy, in which there is no sensibility to 

 the stimuli of external objects. Vigilia, or watchfulness, may 

 be compared to the general writhing of the body; which is just a 

 sufficient exertion to relieve the pain which occasions it. Ero- 

 tomania may be compared to trismus, or other muscular fixed 

 spasm, without much subsequent pain; and moeror to cramp of 

 the muscles of the leg, or other fixed spasm with subsequent pain. 

 All these coincidences contribute to show, as explained in Sect. 

 III. 5. that our ideas are motions of the immediate organs of sense 

 obeying the same laws as our muscular motions. 



The violence of action accompanying insanity depends much 

 on the education of the person; those who have been proudly 

 educated with unrestrained passions, are liable to greater fury. 



