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Tuberculosis and Insanity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

T. S. Clouston
T. S. Clouston*
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Asylum; Medical and Chirurgical Society, Edinburgh and Hunterian Medical Society, 1860-61, 1861-62
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From the time of Hippocrates downwards a special connection has been assumed to exist between certain forms of insanity and diseases of the abdominal organs, but it is only recently that diseases of the lungs have been ascertained to have any relation to mental derangement. Arnold, who epitomised everything known about insanity before his time, does not mention any disease of the lungs among even the “remote causes” of insanity, although he includes among these, diseases of almost every other organ of the body. Esquirol and Georget were the first to show the frequency of lung disease among the insane. Burrows and Ellis were the first to refer to the frequency of phthisis pulmonalis among the insane in this country; but the subject has scarcely received that attention from the profession which its importance and interest demand. Dr. McKinnon, the first Medical Superintendent of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, came to the conclusion that “the scrofulous and insane constitutions are nearly allied.” Dr. Skae, in his annual report for 1847, remarked the great frequency of tubercular deposits in the bodies of those dying insane.

Information

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Information
Journal of Mental Science , Volume 9 , Issue 45 , April 1863, pp. 36 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1863 

References

* Arnold, ‘On Insanity,’ vol. ii.Google Scholar

† Esquirol, ‘Des Maladies Mentales,’ tom. ii.Google Scholar

‡ Georget, ‘De la Folie.’ Google Scholar

§ Burrows’ ‘Commentaries on Insanity.’ Google Scholar

‖ Ellis, ‘On Insanity.’ Google Scholar

‘Annual Report of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum,’ 1845.Google Scholar

** ‘Psychological Journal,’ vol. iii.Google Scholar

* ‘American Journal of Insanity,’ July, 1862.Google Scholar

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‡ ‘Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie,’ 1861.Google Scholar

§ A case of atrophy of left hemisphere of brain (Syd. Soc. Trans.).Google Scholar

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† ‘Annual Report of Somerset County Asylum,’ 1861.Google Scholar

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* Dr. Chambers found “idiopathic inflammation of the membranes of the brain,” a condition which he thinks is almost peculiar to the tubercular, in 2·7 per cent. of his cases. The expression is so vague, and the brain so frequently diseased among the insane, that it is impossible to confirm his observations on this point in any way.Google Scholar

* ‘Leçons Orales sur les Phrenopathies,’ tome ii.Google Scholar

* ‘American Journal of Insanity,’ Jan., 1862.Google Scholar

* Austin gives two years and a half as the average term of life among general paralytics.Google Scholar

† ‘Anuales Médico-Psycologiques,’ 1860.Google Scholar

* ‘Edin. Med. Journ.’ for April, 1860.Google Scholar

* Twenty per cent. of all the cases had hallucinations of the senses, the order of frequency being hearing, seeing, smelling. Hallucinations were twice as frequent among the women as the men.Google Scholar

* Morel, ‘Traité des Maladies Mentales.’ Google Scholar

* See Van der Kolk's “Case of Atrophy of Left Hemisphere of Brain,” ‘Syden. Soc. Trans.,’ p. 170.Google Scholar

* ‘Leçons Orales sur les Phrénopathies,’ tome i, p. 431.Google Scholar

* ‘American Journal of Insanity,’ July, 1862.Google Scholar

* ‘Monita et Precepta Medica.’ Dr. Mead.Google Scholar

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