The clinical teaching of psychology : a valedictory address / by J. Crichton Browne.

  • James Crichton-Browne
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The clinical teaching of psychology : a valedictory address / by J. Crichton Browne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    18/24 (page 18)
    the muscles, turgesence of cutaneous blood-vessels, brilliancy of the eyes, and vitiation of the secretions, are the corporeal manifesta- tions of anger and hate; whilst muscular flaccidity, cutaneous pallor, prolonged suspirations, with [forgive it, 0 ye votaries of romance!] pigmentary deposits and severe dyspepsia, are the somatic accompaniments of the tender passion when unrewarded. Thus, again, bilious derangement may excite and enrage the most gentle and loving; and deranged states of the blood, whether arising from sporadic, miasmatic, or contagious causes, may pro- duce mental depression and melancholia. Organic lesions of the heart and great blood-vessels are associated with unaccountable anxiety and dread; whilst phthisis is accompanied by euphoria and inappropriate cheerfulness. We do not require to point out to you the effects of certain drugs, such as nitre, digitalis, bella- dona, canabis indica, cantharides, &c., upon the human mind; nor do we need to remind you how powerfully the actions of remedies which we employ are influenced by the mental conditions of our patients. We need not call upon you to observe the influence of the sexual function upon mental life, for all those subjects you have doubtless already considered. We have only alluded to them to illustrate the extensive range of a psychological course, and to prove, that if, as we suppose, insanity be a series of symptoms, expressing through the nervous system diseases and morbid condi- tions of distant tissues, or of the nervous system itself, special clinical instruction in this subject, and the addition of such to the courses on practice of physic, is still more imperative. That this addition has never been generally made we must deeply regret. The circumstance must be attributed to the innumerable obstacles which have presented themselves,—obstacles which can only be perfectly overcome by the diffusion of correct views as to the nature of insanity, of its treatment, and of our social relations. Lectures on insanity and its treatment have, however, been given at various times, and in various places. The report of Guyllyam on the convalescence of Charles VI. of France, to the royal dukes, in which he says, “ Seasonable dysporte, rest, and myrthe shall be most profitable to him,” may be regarded as the first lecture on mental disease. For the benefit of this insane monarch playing- cards were invented, and were undoubtedly the initiation of a department of moral treatment. The course pursued throughout the case was humane and discriminating, and founded on a theory of mind. But one of the earliest, and certainly the most import- ant clinical lecture ever delivered, may be described as the orders of Pinel to strike off the chains, and liberate from their dungeons, the lunatics of the Bicetre, with Couthon and the blood-stained members of the Committee of Public Safety as auditors and pupils in the school of philanthropy. The godlike shining through the