Part 15

No statement on record; it is certain, however, from his own account, that he was formerly steward and butler in a gentleman’s family, and had been what some call a “hearty good fellow” all his life. His manner continued that of a blustering, passionate, half-inebriated man; {162} his skin was covered with a scorbutic eruption, and his face a bloated livid red. He died of dropsy in the chest, March 6th, 1821.

OBSERVATION VIII.

The observation, or rather the moral, in this case is so obvious, that it is almost superfluous to add, that from the nature of his case, and his own account of himself, his system both of body and mind had been brought into the extreme state of morbid irritability by the conjoined excitement of the dissipated companions, particularly of his early life,—unchecked in their effects by the exercise of any moral restraint over himself; and hence his mental powers and passions were not so much shattered and decayed, as they were like a vessel without its pilot, the sport of every wind and wave that assails it: bad habits had become too inveterate to allow the will to be taught obedience to reason; all measures of coercion, instead of inducing self-control, could only irritate and exasperate, as he was perhaps still less accessible by religion than by reason. I believe, however, that by gentle, and indirect means, he gradually became less boisterous in his manners; but it is proper also to add, that from age and disease, the sinking of his physical powers and animal spirits might imperceptibly, but more effectually, tame him.

No. 16.—Admitted 1799.

Nothing on record.—It is said she was a belle: she is thin and tall, and is remarkable for a demure, prim, affected, stiff manner of sitting, like vanity turned to stone. She will spend hours in dressing, undressing, washing, &c. I have never heard her say more than “pretty well, thank you.” Her mind seems rather empty and motionless than diseased or deranged.

No. 17.—Admitted 1799.

Nothing on record.—She is a neat, clean, but rather crabbed-looking, middle-aged woman; and who, unless she is provoked, is scarcely to be distinguished from the sane; but when provoked, she is exceedingly abusive, and exhibits the deranged state of her mind. She is very useful as a laundress, and is known only by that name. The great objects of her affections are cats and kittens. {164}

No. 18.—Admitted 1800.

Nothing on record.—He was an Italian, of a swarthy complexion, dark eyes, black hair; and to look on his countenance reminded one of an assassin, “the mark was upon him.” He was subject to violent fits of excitement when he was suspicious and thought himself insulted by a look or a word; and from his ignorance of the English language, he might perhaps have greater scope for suspicion. When offended, he gnashed his teeth; striking one hand violently against the other; appearing from these, and various other indications, to be preparing for action, and lashing himself into a state of the most determined revenge, he watched his opportunity, and seizing his victim with his teeth, was quite delighted if he drew blood. He bit several, some seriously; and in one instance, he bit a piece completely out of the lip of another. They all agree in the house that they never saw a patient so ferocious, or one where harsh measures seemed more justifiable; yet nothing could conquer him—his attendant believes “he would have died first.” It was no accidental result of passion, but the settled object of his mind. {165a} He would chuckle and triumph over the injury he had done; and this was the more remarkable, as his mind in other respects was so much gone, that he continued to the time of his leaving the asylum, occasionally a dirty patient. Still it ought to be stated, that this ferocious disposition and these dirty habits, if they had not been absolutely grafted on his natural disposition, must have at any rate been made much worse by his brutalizing treatment; for he was one of those who were formerly kept naked in loose straw,—besides having during this time lost his toes, supposed to be from his exposure to the cold, he could not so well defend himself, and so might have been taught by necessity to have recourse to his teeth. That he was made worse by his treatment, is evident, as latterly he became sensible of kindness, and improved in personal cleanliness; and his general manners indicated much less malignity of feeling; indeed something like affection {165b} and gratitude to his attendants, began to excite in them, without effort, kindly feelings towards him. At first, (after the new state of things) it was with the utmost difficulty that he was made to keep his clothes on, or to be kept clean; but latterly, for many weeks together, he went on without any restraint whatever. He was removed in May, 1822.

OBSERVATION IX.

The observations that naturally suggest themselves on this case on the efficiency of mild treatment, are so obvious, that it would be obtrusive particularly to state them. I cannot, however, omit adverting to the fact of the probability of his having lost his toes by exposure to cold, because it illustrates the remark made in observation V. Patients, in former times, were kept naked in loose straw; and from their exposure to cold, mortifications in the extreme parts were common; and then writers on insanity say, that mortification of the extreme parts and insensibility to cold, are symptoms of mental derangement!!—See also observation 12th.

No. 19.—Admitted 1800.

Nothing on record. He was a respectable tradesman.

He is constantly muttering and talking to himself, apparently busy in making calculations, holding in his hand something he calls an almanack, made by himself, as well as some pieces of money he has polished. He repeats something, seemingly as a duty imposed upon him, perhaps meant as a prayer. Though the shrivelled and decayed scraps of mind that remain, look only like the apparitions of his previous habits of life; yet they so wholly engross his attention, that he never notices passing and external objects around him. Sometimes, however, he can with great difficulty be for a moment diverted from his object, and while roused, will answer questions with considerable point and shrewdness, but returns as quickly into the same uniform abstracted state.

He is evidently of a contented and happy disposition. There is something in his appearance and countenance which seems to say, “I have been a respectable and good-natured fellow.”

OBSERVATION X.

The only observation here is one which I shall notice more particularly when I come to treat on the efficacy of moral management—viz. that, notwithstanding the deranged state of his mind, and the imaginary objects which occupy his attention, still he can be roused for a moment to something like a proper use of his faculties.

No. 20.—Admitted 1801.

Nothing satisfactory on record. Said to have been a violent maniac. He was kept naked on loose straw. Since that time it is said he was improved by a seton; but still he was to the last a stupid, heavy, idiotical looking man, and in reality was so. {168} That he was less dirty, and kept himself dressed, was owing to better habits, into which proper management had gradually moulded him. But his mind was irrecoverably gone; he was motionless and silent, unless spoken to, or urged to some action. His replies were merely monosyllabic, and these only correct when they referred to something he had formerly best known; he was, however, drilled into some degree of usefulness, in helping about the wash-house. He was removed by his friends in April, 1821.

No. 21.—Admitted 1801.

Nothing on record.—He was one of those who was formerly kept naked on loose straw. He has been for years, for the most part, in a moping, poring, and solitary looking state; yet he has had occasional seasons of excitement, when the disposition towards furious revenge seemed to possess him, so much so, that he would, unprovoked, place his back against a corner of the wall in the attitude of self-defence, shaking his doubled fists in a daring and threatening manner. Though these effervescences of his spirits occur as frequently as ever, yet the malicious disposition seems dying away, and instead of which he will, at these periods, sing a little comic air, and give other indications of his mind being happy and full of good-nature, as much so as the little mind he possesses will enable him to be, if, indeed, beings in such a state can be said to have minds at all; for what an appalling difference between them and minds enriched with laborious habits of reading and reflection!

OBSERVATION XI.

In addition to the observations already made on former and present treatment, it is only justice further to say, that amongst recent patients, I have scarcely seen (if indeed I have seen) one instance of continued revenge. Their spirits exhibit themselves in good or ill-nature, according to the direction that is given them, and even in the old cases, as in the one above stated, it appears simply the remains of their former usage; so that if their minds are still agitated in some sort with feelings of revenge, it is only like the sea which will fluctuate awhile after the storm has ceased; but the winds are hushed, and every wave becomes less and less, until it subsides into a calm.

No. 22.—Admitted 1801.

Nothing on record.—I have been informed, that his mind was instantly wrecked by the female of his heart unexpectedly marrying another the very day previous to that on which she had promised to be made his own for ever. He was an idiot, who could barely answer in a low whisper, and to a few very simple questions, “yes” or “no.” He was old, and pale, and thin—had a long face—his head hanging forwards—his stare was ludicrously vacant and goggling—his lower jaw fallen, and saliva flowing over his large hanging lip—though he generally stood quietly in a corner with his face to the wall, yet sometimes he would for some hours together make a strange and disagreeable noise—what was still more disgusting about him, he had the sickening habit of bringing up his food and regorging it, yet, in other respects he was not a dirty patient—perhaps because having been with a better class, he had received more attention.—He had this singular fancy, that if he had one or fifty pieces of bread and butter, he would eat, or secrete, or pocket them all, except one. He gradually declined from old age, and died in December, 1821.

No. 23.—Admitted 1801.

No statement of his case. It is reported that he was a clever man, a hard student, fond of political subjects, and that speculations on the national debt were the cause of his insanity.—This report receives a colouring of probability from two large trunks full of books now in the Asylum belonging to him, almost wholly on subjects of political science, among which is a large collection of pamphlets on the national debt, and it is apparently confirmed by the nature of his hallucination; only I cannot trace the report to any certain source. It is certain he was Superintendant of the Police at Bombay.

His appearance and manners are very peculiar, and very difficult to describe. He holds his head forwards and obliquely upwards in a calculating position; moving his hands in different directions, and working with his fingers like unto one gathering something in the air.—At times he extends and stretches his hands higher than his head, moving and working them in the same manner: he will hold his face directly upwards—open and shut his mouth in a gaping and catching style, as if he were feeding on air; repeating these operations, and intermingling them with a strange gurgling noise in his throat—almost always muttering to himself as if he held busy converse with his own thoughts, with visible appearances of pleasure or anger on his countenance, occasioned by his imaginary operations being successful or otherwise.