Observations on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of derangement of the mind, founded on an extensive moral and medical practice in the treatment of lunatics / By Paul Slade Knight ... Together with the particulars of the sensations and ideas of a gentleman during his mental alienation, written by himself during his convalescence.

Knight, Paul Slade, 1785-1846.

Date:: [1827]

Credit: Observations on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of derangement of the mind, founded on an extensive moral and medical practice in the treatment of lunatics / By Paul Slade Knight ... Together with the particulars of the sensations and ideas of a gentleman during his mental alienation, written by himself during his convalescence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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got out of bed, in spite of the intreaties of the attendant when he saw this he placed a table against the door, and sat upon it; my first effort was to remove the table, but not being quite strong enough to do so while ke opposed, nor yet very unequal to him in strength, I re- solved to supply what strength was wanting by cunning ; I accordingly abandoned, for the time, my design of forcing the table from the door, and proceeded to walk up and down the room ; the servant, seeing that I stag- gered, got off the table and supported me, I leaned upon his shoulder, and walked along thus assisted, very firmly. I took care to keep the attendant rather in the rear, and having crossed the room three times, I deter- mined on executing my meditated purpose, I made a sudden spring forward, dragged away the table and threw the door wide open. Resistance now was vain on the part of the alarmed guard ; he was held motionless, no doubt in admiration of the degree of cunning dis- played by a madman ; and he saw that on this occasion ] was more knave than fool.” ‘‘ The persons commissioned to guard me played many a trick, they drank tea at the foot of the bed, got on the top of it, put on masks, and strove to terrify me; but I outwitted them, I told them, each by his name, to pull off their masks, that I knew them. One of them uncovered his face, and asked me who they were? I told him as I thought ; and he assured me I was grossly mis- taken. After some uninteresting events I fancied I saw a combatin the heavens, anda bright radiance occa- sioned by the meeting of swords ; this appeared to last for some time; I believed that I discovered the plan of making this display of light, and that I could make the

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