Part 7

J. P. a man, aged thirty, was admitted into the hospital, October 18th, 1800. It was then deposed, by the persons who brought him, that he had been for eight months in a melancholic state; but they were unable to assign any circumstances, which preceded his disorder, as a cause of his disease. He had a large tumor on the throat which extended backward to the neck, principally on the left side; the increase of this swelling, they alledged, had much alarmed him, at the commencement of his melancholic attack. During the time he was the subject of my observation, he was in a very mopish and stupid state; if spoken to, he would sometimes give a short answer, but ordinarily he took no notice of those who addressed him. Some days he would walk slowly in the less frequented part of the building; frequently he sat down for some hours in a corner. His appetite was good, he ate the food which was brought him, but never took the trouble to go for it, when serving out. In this state he continued until April 2d, when he became more stupid, and could not be made to rise from his bed. He did not appear to be in any pain, nor was he at all convulsed. His bowels were regular. On the 5th he became comatose, and on the 9th he died.

_Appearances on Dissection._

There was an excessive determination of blood to the brain, and the pia mater was highly inflamed. On the inferior part of the middle lobe of the brain, there was a gangrene of considerable extent, together with a quantity of very foetid purulent matter.

This is the only instance of a gangrenous state of the brain which has fallen under my observation.

CASE XXXV.

T. C. This person had remained many years in the hospital on the incurable establishment. He had been a schoolmaster at Warrington in Lancashire, and was a man of acuteness and extensive mathematical learning. As he became very furious on the attack of his maniacal disorder, he was placed in the Lunatic Asylum at Manchester, where he killed the person who had the care of him, by stabbing him in the back with a knife.

The following is the account he gave me of that transaction, and which I immediately committed to paper; as it conveys a serious and important lesson to those who are about the persons of the insane.

"He that would govern others, first should be The master of himself, richly indu'd With depth of understanding, height of courage." _Massinger's Bondman, Act I. Scene 3._

It ought to be more generally understood that a madman seldom forgets the coercion he has undergone, and that he never forgives an indignity.

"The man whom I stabbed richly deserved it. He behaved to me with great violence and cruelty, he degraded my nature as a human being; he tied me down, handcuffed me, and confined my hands much higher than my head, with a leathern thong: he stretched me on a bed of torture. After some days he released me. I gave him warning, for I told his wife I would have justice of him. On her communicating this to him, he came to me in a furious passion, threw me down, dragg'd me through the court-yard, thumped on my breast, and confined me in a dark and damp cell. Not liking this situation, I was induced to play the hypocrite. I pretended extreme sorrow for having threatened him, and by an affectation of repentance, prevailed on him to release me. For several days I paid him great attention, and lent him every assistance. He seemed much pleased with the flattery, and became very friendly in his behaviour towards me.--Going one day into the kitchen, where his wife was busied, I saw a knife; (this was too great a temptation to be resisted;) I concealed it, and carried it about me. For some time afterwards the same friendly intercourse was maintained between us; but, as he was one day unlocking his garden door, I seized the opportunity, and plunged the knife up to the hilt in his back."--He always mentioned this circumstance with peculiar triumph, and his countenance (the most cunning and malignant I ever beheld) became highly animated at the conclusion of the story.

During the time he was in Bethlem Hospital he most ingeniously formed a stiletto out of a mop-nail; it was an elaborate contrivance, and had probably been the work of several months. It was rendered extremely sharp and polished, by whetting on a small pebble; it was fixed into a handle, and had a wooden sheath made from the mop-stick. This instrument he carried in his left breeches pocket, his right hand grasping the hilt. As I always found him in that posture when I visited him, I suspected he had some concealed implement of mischief, and therefore employed a convalescent patient to watch him through the key-hole of his door. This person saw him with the weapon, and also ascertaining the distance at which he could use it.

The instrument was taken from him by surprise. When he found he was prevented from executing his purpose, he roared out the most horrid imprecations; he cursed the Almighty for creating him, and more especially for having given him the form of a human being, and he wished to go to Hell that he might not be disgraced by an association with the Deity.

He had an uniform and implacable aversion to the officers and servants of the hospital; he said he courted their hatred for their curse was a blessing. He seldom answered a question but some impiety was contained in the reply. An indifferent person remarking that it was a bad day, he immediately retorted, "Sir, did you ever know God make a good one?" Although the whole of the day, and the greatest part of the night, were consumed in pouring forth abuse and coining new blasphemies; yet there were some few patients for whom he professed a friendship, and with whom he conversed in a mild and civil way: this confidence had been obtained by the compliments they had addressed to him on the score of his understanding, of which he entertained a very high opinion. At one time he conceived himself to be the Messiah, at another, that he was Mr. Adam, the architect; and that he was shortly to go to America in order to build the new Jerusalem in Philadelphia.

About six months before his death he complained of pain in his stomach, and said he felt as if he had no intestines. His appetite diminished, and he became melancholic.

The scene now began to alter; he had a presentiment that his time in this world would be short, and he dreaded the change: no hope arose, no consolation could cheer him; he became daily more emaciated and despairing until he died, which took place August 27, 1801; he appeared to be about seventy years of age.

On opening the head, the pericranium was scarcely adherent. This membrane being removed, blood oozed freely from the parietal bones. There was a large accumulation of water between the dura mater and tunica arachnoidea; when this was let out the dura mater became flaccid, and seemed to hang loose on the brain. On the left posterior lobe of the cerebrum there was a large quantity of a milky fluid, between the tunica arachnoidea and pia mater, giving the appearance of a vesication; and in that place there was a depression or cavity formed in the convolutions of the brain. The convolutions were so strongly and distinctly marked, that they resembled the intestines of a child. The lateral ventricles were but little distended, and did not contain much water. The head was not particularly loaded with blood, nor were the bloody points, in the medullary substance, very abundant. The brain was of a natural consistence. There was no disease in the stomach, intestines, or liver. The body was opened about six hours after his death.

CASE XXXVI.

B. S. a man, generally noticed by those who have visited Bethlem hospital a few years ago. It was said, that an attachment to a young woman, who slighted his addresses, was the cause of his becoming insane. He was considered a very dangerous lunatic, and for many years was confined to his cell. In this situation he employed himself in the manufacture of straw baskets and table mats. The desire of money was the leading feature of his mind, and the whole of his energies were devoted to its acquisition; nor was he at all scrupulous as to the means, by which he attained his object. Although repeatedly assured that he would never be liberated, he disbelieved such information, and was persuaded, when he had acquired a sum sufficient to purchase a horse and cart, filled with higler's ware, that he should be released. The idea of becoming a trader, on so large a scale, stimulated him to constant occupation. He employed several lunatic journeymen to plat the straw for him, but they were poorly rewarded. He generally chose for his workmen such as were chained, and could not come personally to insist on the reward of their labour. He commonly pretended that the platting was badly performed, and consequently unsaleable; sometimes he would protest that he had settled with them, but that they were too mad to recollect it; and if at any time he did pay them, it was in bad coin. For many years he was unrivalled in this trade, and, by every species of fraud, had amassed nearly sufficient to set his plans afloat: when an unfortunate event took place, which considerably reduced his capital. He had always a propensity to game, which, from his skill and dexterity in cheating, was generally attended with success; but in this science he was once over-matched. An insane soldier, an ingenious man, became his intimate friend, and finding him possessed of some money proposed a game at cards. The result was deeply disastrous to the artificer in straw, who endeavoured to evade the payment; but his friend stated it to be a debt of honor; and besides he was a very powerful man, of a stern aspect, and not to be trifled with; he was therefore compelled to tell down at once the slow accumulation of several years. It was intended to make the soldier restore the property, but he, conceiving that he had already derived sufficient benefit from the hospital, went away in the night, without the formalities of a regular discharge.

To fill up the measure of his misfortunes, when Hatfield, the maniac who shot at his Majesty in the theatre, was brought to Bethlem, he, in conjunction with a contriving cobbler, established a rival manufactory, which shortly eclipsed the fabric of the old school, and by superior taste rendered his further exertions unnecessary.

It is natural to suppose, that no great cordiality could exist between persons, where the prosperity of one had been established on the ruin of the other. Frequent altercations arose, and much offensive language was exchanged. At length the patience of the original dealer was exhausted, and, in collecting his force to give his opponent a blow, he fell down and instantly expired.--He was about fifty-eight years of age.

Some of his habits and opinions were extremely singular; he believed that all occurrences were regulated by witches: prosperity was to be attributed to the good witches having obtained the mastery; and when bad witches gained the ascendancy, misfortunes arose. When the latter were at work he supposed himself in possession of a power to frighten and disperse them, and this was effected by a peculiar noise he made. It is probable he might have laboured under indigestion, for immediately after he had eaten his dinner, he sent forth a dreadful howl, which he continued for about ten minutes: but his great terror was a thunder storm; when this occurred, he took a very active part, and brought the whole force of his lungs to bear upon the enemy. A cat was supposed to have a natural antipathy to bad witches, she could smell them at a distance; for which reason he always domesticated an animal of that kind to sleep in his cell.

When his head was opened, the dura mater was very easily separable from the scull; upon puncturing this membrane a considerable quantity of blood flowed from the opening; and there was a copious extravasation of this fluid between the membranes of the brain: but the most remarkable circumstance was, that the tunica arachnoidea was so thickened, that it exceeded the dura mater on an accurate comparison. The pia mater was loaded with blood, and its vessels were enlarged. The brain and its cavities were sound and natural.

CASE XXXVII.

R. B. This man had been many years an incurable patient, and it was supposed that jealousy of his wife had been the cause of his madness, although it appeared from very respectable testimony that he had no real grounds for such suspicion. During eight years, (the period he was subject to my observation,) he was mostly in a very furious state, and obliged to be strictly confined. His mischeivous disposition was manifested on every occasion; he would hurl the bowl, in which his food was served, against those who passed his cell; and when his hands were secured he would kick, bite, or throw his head into the stomachs of those who came near him. He entertained a constant aversion to his keeper, whom he suspected to be connected with his wife. His life was miserably divided between furious paroxysms and melancholic languor, and there was great uncertainty in the duration of these states. He has been known to continue ten months in the highest degree of violence, and relapse into the same state after a few days passed in tranquil depression. There was one circumstance which never failed to produce a relapse, however quietly he might have conducted himself, this was a visit from any of his family, and a very striking instance occurred. From May, 1799, to September, 1800, he had every appearance of being perfectly recovered: he was, in consequence, allowed additional comforts, and treated as a convalescent. At this time he was visited by his son, who, after many hours conversation with him, was persuaded that he had perfectly recovered his intellects; and he expressed himself astonished at his father's accurate recollection of particulars which might be supposed to have been obliterated from his mind. This dutiful visit and affectionate intercourse produced unpleasant consequences. The numerous enquiries which the patient had made, furnished him with materials for reflexion. On the departure of his son he began to detect mismanagement in his affairs, and improprieties in the conduct of his family: he was very talkative, and became impatient to return home. The following day he had a wildness in his eyes, spoke fast, and appeared busy: before the evening he was so irritable and disobedient that it became necessary to confine him. From this time he continued in the most furious condition, singing and vociferating the greatest part of the night, until January 2d, 1801, when he became suddenly calm, complained of extreme debility, and said he should die in a few hours. He gave very proper answers to the questions which were asked him, but complained of the fatigue which talking induced. On the next morning he expired. He was sixty-eight years of age. The head was opened two days after his death. The tunica arachnoidea was in many places opake, and considerably thickened. There was a small quantity of limpid water between this membrane and the pia mater. When the medullary substance was cut into, there oozed from many points a quantity of dark blood, indeed the whole head was loaded with venous blood. The lateral ventricles were considerably enlarged and filled with water--four ounces were collected. The internal carotid arteries were much enlarged, and when divided, did not collapse, but remained open, as arteries in the other parts of the body. The consistence of the brain was doughy.

CHAP. IV.

CASES OF INSANE CHILDREN.

In the month of March, 1799, a female child, three years and a quarter old, was brought to the hospital for medical advice. She was in good bodily health, and born of sane and undiseased parents. The mother, who attended, stated that her husband's parents and her own had never been in the slightest degree afflicted with mania, but that she had a brother who was born an ideot. She related that her child, until the age of two years and a half, was perfectly well, of ordinary vivacity, and of promising talents; when she was inoculated for the small pox. Severe convulsions ushered in the disease, and a delirium continued during its course. The eruption was of the mild kind, and the child was not marked with the pustules. From the termination of the small-pox to the above date, (nine months) the child continued in an insane state. Previously to the small-pox, she could articulate many words, and use them correctly for the things they signified: but since that time she completely forgot her former acquisitions, nor ever attempted to imitate a significant sound. Whatever she wished to perform, she effected with promptitude and facility. She appeared anxious to possess every thing she saw, and cried if she experienced any disappointment; and on these occasions she would bite, or express her anger by kicking or striking. Her appetite was voracious, and she would devour any thing that was given to her, without discrimination; as fat, raw animal food, or tainted meat. To rake out the fire with her fingers was a favourite amusement, nor was she deterred from having frequently burned them. She passed her urine and faeces in any place without restraint; but she could retain a considerable quantity of the former before she discharged it. Some cathartic remedies were ordered for her, with an emetic occasionally, and she was brought to the hospital every fortnight, but she did not appear in any degree amended. On June 22 she was admitted a patient, and continued in the hospital until the middle of October, when she was attacked with an eruptive fever, and consequently discharged. During this time little progress was made, although considerable pains were bestowed. She became more cunning, and her taste appeared improved. The cathartic medicine, which she drank at first without reluctance, became afterwards highly disgusting, and when she saw the basket which contained it, she endeavoured to escape and hide herself. To particular persons she was friendly, and felt an aversion to others. She was sensible of the authority of the nurse who attended her, and understood by the tone of her voice whether she were pleased or offended. The names of some things she appeared to comprehend, although they were extremely few; when the words, dinner, cakes, orange, and some more were mentioned, she smiled, and appeared in expectation of receiving them. By great attention and perseverance on the part of the nurse, she was brought to evacuate her faeces and urine in a night stool.

After the elapse of three years I was informed that the child had made no intellectual progress.

W. H. a boy, nearly seven years of age, was admitted into the Hospital, June 8th, 1799. His mother, who frequently visited him, related the following particulars respecting his case.--She said that, within a month of being delivered of this child, she was frightened by a man in the street, who rudely put his hand on her abdomen. When the child was born it was subject to startings, and became convulsed on any slight indisposition. When a year old, he suffered much with the measles: and afterwards had a mild kind of inoculated small-pox. At this age she thought the child more lively than usual, and that he slept less than her other children had done. At two years, the mother perceived he could not be controled, and therefore frequently corrected him.

There was a tardiness in the developement of his physical powers. He was fifteen months old before he had a tooth, and unable to go alone at two years and a half: his mind was equally slow; he had arrived at his fourth year before he began to speak; and, when in his fifth, he had not made a greater proficiency in language than generally may be observed in children between two and three years. When admitted into the hospital, he wept at being separated from his mother, but his grief was of very short continuance. He was placed on the female side, and seemed highly delighted with the novelty of the scene: every object excited his curiosity, but he did not pause or dwell on any. He was constantly in action, and rapidly examined the different apartments of the building. To the patients in general he behaved with great insolence--he kicked and spat at them, and distorted his face in derision; but, on the appearance of the nurse, he immediately desisted, and assured her he was a very good boy. Great, but ineffectual, pains were taken, to make him understand the nature of truth,--he could never be brought to confess any mischief he had committed, and always took refuge in the convenient shelter of a lie. In a short time he acquired a striking talent for mimickry, and imitated many of the patients in their insane manners; he generally selected, for his models, those who were confined, as he could practise from such with impunity.

In about three months he had added considerably to his stock of language, but, unluckily, he had selected his expressions from those patients who were addicted to swearing and obscene conversation. To teach him the letters of the alphabet had many times been endeavoured, but always without success; the attempt uniformly disgusted him: he was not to be stimulated by coaxing or coercion; his mind was too excursive, to submit to the painful toil of recording elementary sounds; but it may rather be inferred that he did not possess a sufficient power of attention to become acquainted with arbitrary characters.

He was in good health, his pulse and bowels were regular, and his appetite was keen, but not voracious. One circumstance struck me, as very peculiar, in this boy,--he appeared to have very incorrect ideas of distance: he would frequently stretch out his hand, to grasp objects considerably beyond his reach, but this referred principally to height: he would endeavour to pluck out a nail from the ceiling, or snatch at the moon. In October he became unwell, and, at the mother's request, was discharged from the hospital.