CHAPTER VI. 



ARTIFICIAL INSANITY. 



THE subject of artificial insanity that which is producible 

 at will by man in other animals is one of much importance, 

 no less in relation to 



1. Our knowledge of the genesis, development, and treat- 

 ment of human insanity, than to 



2. The various forms of preventable cruelty to animals ; 

 and the correspondingly 



3. Varying kinds and degrees of man's responsibility for 

 their usage. 



By means quite at his control^ to begin with at least, man 

 can produce in other animals, or certain of them, special 

 mental lesions defects or diseases whose course he can 

 regulate, so that he can deliberately study the etiology and 

 cure of such lesions, their origin and whole progress or course. 

 He can generate several forms of insanity, and all degrees of 

 these forms ; and they may be rendered permanent, danger- 

 ous, even fatal, or trivial and temporary, according to his 

 purpose. Though the immediate or exciting cause in such 

 cases is wholly within man*s control, the results are not, how- 

 ever, always or altogether capable of his regulation. Some- 

 times the latter are equally unlocked and unhoped for, neither 

 desired nor desirable. 



Thus artificially induced mania is said occasionally to lead 

 to the undesirable and unfortunate result of suicide (Pierquin). 

 In proportion as the cause is simple and single, and directly 

 applied, the result tends to become equally simple. But there 

 are so many modifying influences, partly unknown to the 

 experimenter, that it is difficult or impossible to control them, 



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