Elements of the pathology of the human mind / [Thomas Mayo].

  • Thomas Mayo
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of the pathology of the human mind / [Thomas Mayo]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/204 page 8
    In these remarks of Dr. Haslam I entirely concur; and I think I shall act conformably with their spirit, in declining to offer a definition of insanity. Corresponding expressions are found in every language, and are used with a degree of confidence and unison, which in our present state of knowledge will not be advanced into further significancy by any such procedure. How far the inquiry, which has led to this essay, may have helped us on our road to such a definition, re- mains to be proved. ‘In order, however, that my reader may be able to decide, whether we mean the same thing when we use the term insanity, — I will follow out the series of phenomena, which have appeared to me most characteristic of that state, the succession, which they observe, and the laws by which they are regulated. Let us suppose, ther, such a state to have ensued on some one of those mental affections, which most frequently occasion it. I shall pre- sently pomt out how large a portion of such calamities may be traced to the influence of regret or despondency, when memory or expectation suggest to the mind irremediable or inevitable evil. Let us assume a case in which the former
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