INSANITY. 115 
fiology and pathology, are overloaded with thefe metaphy- its combinations was contained. As it occurred on many 
ftcai reveries. DiJJ'ertation on Infanity, 1810. former trials, there was no coagulation by heat; a flight 
In this opinion M. Pinel concurs :—“ The anatomy and i'ediment fell, after boiling fome minutes;' •* 
pathology of the brain (fays he) are yet involved in ex- Mr. Haflam obferves, that, as this patient remained in 
tremeobfc.urity. Greding differed two hundredandfixteen the hofpital from the middle of January to the beginning 
maniacal fnbjefts, and he details all the peculiarities which of May, in a itate perfectly tranquil, arid without fhe'ap- 
he obferve'd in the meninges, the fubftaoce of the brain, pearance of difarrangement of mind,"it is improbable that 
the ventricles, the pineal gland, and the cerebellum. But, fo great an enlargement of the ventricles, and accumulation 
as thofe maniacs died by aiforders unconnected with of water, could have taken place within the there fpace of 
their mental ailments, we can form no juft conclulions two weeks; it is therefore mod likely that the ^reateli 
from the morbid appearances which prefented themfelves. part of this fluid had been previoufly collected. Tt'may' 
Many varieties of ltrutture might likewife accidentally co- be conjcCtured that a very gradual accumulation of water 
exift with the lefions of the mental functions, without (although the quantity be at laft confldtrable) would noft 
having any immediate connection with them. The fame atfeeff the fenforium fo much as a fudden fepretion of'fiuid ; 
fnay.be laid of the experiments of a fimilar nature by but that a quantity, which at onetime hadoccafioned streat 
ffgnor Chiai'uggy in Italy. I have attended at thirty-fix diftiirbahce, would by habit become lefs inconvenient- 
difleftions in the hofpital de Bicetre ; and I can declare, We are not well informed, but there is reafon to believe, 
that I have never met with any other appearance within that gradual prefifure on the brain will not occafion thole! 
fhe cavity of the cranium than are oblervable on .opening ferious fyniptdms which a fudden prefi'ure would excite, 
the bodies of perfons who have died of apoplexy, epilep- That infinity is “a difeafe'of the mind acting upon' 
fy,'nervous fevers, and convulfionS.” the brain,” we are warranted to conclude from the clr- 
Mr. Haflam’s- oblcrvations on the dead fubjeCt were to cumffar.ee, that a greater number of perfons fall into th:3 
the following effeCt. On opening the head after death, the dreadful dil'ea'i'e between the ages of 50 and 40 than at 
pericranium is generally found but very loofely adherent to any other age; At this age people are"generally efta- 
the bene of the fkull. (And oftentimes during life, efpeci- blifhed in their different occupations, are married, and 
ally after a violent paroxyfm of confiderable duration, the' have families ; their habits are more ftrongiy formed, and 
fcalp at the-back of the head will be fo loofe, that a corifi- the interruptions of them are confequently attended with 
derable part of it may be.gathered up by the hand.)' Water greater anxiety and regret. Under thefe circumftances s . 
is generally found between the tunica arachnoidea and the they feel the misfortunes of life more esquifitely. Ad- 
pia mater, and in the ventricles; there is often a general verfity does not deprefs the individual for himlelf alone, 
determination of blood to the brain, and the medullary but as involving his partner and his offspring in wretch- 
fubllance, when cut, fliovvs many bloody points. But ednefs and ruin. In youth we feej> defirous only of pre- 
Mr. Haflam candidly confefl'es, in confirmation of what fent good; at the middle age, we become more provident 
M. Pinel aflerts, that it may be a matter affording much and anxious for the future; the mind affuines a ferious 
diverfity of opinion, whether thefe morbid appearances of charafter ; and religion, as it isjuftiy or improperly irn- 
the brain be the caufe or the effeiff of madnefs ; it may be preffed, imparts comfort or excites apprehension and ter- 
obferved that they have been found in all ftates of the ror. By misfortunes the habit of intoxication is readily 
difeafe. When the brain has been injured from external formed. Thof , who in their youth have fliaken off cala- 
violence, its functions have been generally impaired, and mity as a flight incumbrance, at the middle age fee! ic 
inflammation of its fubitanceor more delicate membranes corrode and penetrate 5 and, when fermented liquors have 
has enfued. The fame appearances have for the molt part' once clif'pelled die gloom of defpondcncy, and taught the 
been detefred, when patients have died of ph re iritis, or in mind to provoke a temporary a fie m triage of cheerful 
the delirium of fever; in. thefe inflances, the derangement feenes, or to def'pife the terror of impending mifery, it is 
of the intellectual functions appears evidently to have natural to recur to the fame, though .dellrudive, caufe, to- 
been caufed by the,inflammation. If in mania the fame re-prod tree .the effefb. 
appearances be found, there will be no needfity for calling There may be fome other reafons afligned for the iff. 
in the aid of other caufes to account for the effe<ff; in- creafed proportion of infane perfons at this age. A 1 - 
deed it would be difficult to difeover them. though (fays Mr. Haflam) I. have made no e;sact cal cilia* 
The author of the Morbid Anatomy is of opinion, that tion, yet, from a great number of cafes, it appears ro be 
water collected in the brain (which we have noted to oc- the time when the hereditary dil'pbfition is molt frequently 
cur fo commonly in maniacal fubje&s) is in every cafe called into?.aCtion; or, to.fpeak more plainly, it is that, 
of the fame nature with that which isffound in dropfy.of ftage of. life,, when perfons,. whofe families have been in* 
the thorax and. abdomen. Fourcroy does not appear to- fane,, are moft liable to.become mad. If it can be made 
have given any particular attention to this fluid. He lays, to appear, that at this period perfons- are mere fotv-eft to 
“ It leems not to differ from that which .moiftens all the be afted upon by the remote caules of the difeafe, or that 
membranous partitions of the human body in general : a greater number of fuch caufes are then applied, we may- 
jt is a muco-gelatinous fluid, more or lefs albuminous, beablefatisfaifforilytoexplain.it. 
and containing fome faiine matters.” Mr. Haflam, iiav- In confirmation of the above ftatement, we lhail infer.t,- 
ing colieffed no lefs than eight ounces of this fluid from a Table of the number of patients admitted into the Bi- 
one fubjerff, fubmitted it to lome chemical lefts in order to cetre at Paris, and Bethlem Hofpital in London, for eJevetV- 
afeertain its composition. The refult he ftates with, his years, from 1784 to 17945 and'lhail avail ourlelves of Mr. 
uftial modefty, as “a fmall addition to our knowledge of Haflam’s publication to add the numbers difeharged cured 
this fluid, though by no means a fatisfa&pry develope- and uncured at the latter place, 
ment of its materials, according to the feverity and pre- 
cifion of modern analysis,”, Tincture of galls produced a 
white precipitate in moderate quantity. Lime-water af¬ 
forded a, confiderable quantity of white precipitate, which 
was re-diffolved without effervdcence by muriatic acid. 
A drop of the foluticn of fulphat of copper added to two 
drams of the brain-fluid tinged it -with a pretty deep blue. 
The prefence of animal matter (Mr. H. concludes) is in¬ 
ferred from the depofition produced by infufion of galls. 
The precipitation by lime-water indicates the phofphoric 
acid. And it appears, from the blue tinge given to the 
fluid by the fulphat of copper, that ammonia ex fome .of 
Though, 
Age, between 
M umber 
admitted. 
Dilcfiar|ecf 
cured. 
Unrharged 
uncured. 
Bicetre. 
Bedlam. 
10 and 20 
6 5 
113 
35 
20 and 30 ; 
339 
488 
20Q 
288 
30 and 40 
3S0 
527 
3 £0 
' 347 
40 and 50 
236 
362 
87 
27 5 
50 and 60 
* 3 ° 
443 
25 
11 8 
60 and 70 
51 
3i 
4 - 
27 
.Totals 
I 201 
1 >64 
574 
IO(jo 
