A manual of autopsies : designed for the use of hospitals for the insane and other public institutions / by I.W. Blackburn.

  • Isaac Wright Blackburn
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of autopsies : designed for the use of hospitals for the insane and other public institutions / by I.W. Blackburn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/128
    interest, and securing a uniform method of procedure, this Manual has been published with the sanction of the Asso- ciation. It is to be hoped that interest and attention can be secured in this matter, and a rule of practice followed of observing carefully what is seen. It should be our aim to avoid deductions and contentious theories. A careful descrip- tion of the actual appearances of the brain and other organs of the body should be recorded. In many cases there are, undoubtedly, grave physical conditions of a chronic nature, apart from cerebral disease, that so influence the blood supply and the nutrition of the brain as to disturb its functions and produce insanity. It is important, therefore, that the whole body be examined as far as possible. Im- mediate results or surprising revelations are not expected, but patient endeavor and uniform methods must ultimately result in good. We should seek to establish in each hospital the practice of making a series of accurate, unembellished records in such a form as to be available as contributions to mental path- ology. An autopsy book, apart from all other case records, is kept in many asylums, and should be generally adopted. A large blank book is sufficient, or one containing as head- ings, at most, the name, date of death, age, clinical history, etc., of the patient. Unanimity and thoroughness in this direction will lead to more careful clinical studies and add new interest to many cases, especially to those which are regarded as chronic, but in which the most valuable and instructive data are often found. Actuated by these motives, the Committee decided not to recommend any elaborate or burdensome table of forms, but embodied its ideas in the following report and reso- lutions, which were adopted at the forty-fourth annual
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3