being able to bear sea sickness, is no criterion by which to judge of this: I having myself sustained almost constant sea sickness, for ten days together, without feeling the least inconvenience, except that of hunger, the moment after it had ceased. Indeed, it must be obvious, that there is a great difference betwixt the operation of a powerful drug, and the nausea, that is occasioned by motion.

I believe, that the great advantage of vomits, consists, in their rousing the system; it is well known that they open the pores, promote perspiration; and without causing much increase of the arterial action, determine a large quantity of blood to the head. I suppose that great determinations of blood to the brain, when the blood is in an impure or viscid state, may be the cause of insanity; and that great determinations of blood to the head, when the blood is in a pure or attenuated state, may be sometimes neccesary to a cure; by removing or forcing out those accumulations or obstructions, which, by impeding the proper circulation of the nervous principle, may be the more immediate cause of the disease. The best way to clear a pipe, in which impure water had settled, would be to force a large quantity of pure water through it.

All those cases of sudden cure, related by Dr. Cox, 'may be accounted for, by the accidents causing an unusual determination of blood to the head; and in three cases, that have fallen under my own immediate notice,

of

of sudden recovery occasioned by violent shocks, it was fully evident that this was the case. But to show how cautious we should be, in applying violent shocks, I. must notice, that I know a person that suddenly recovered from insanity, of long continuance, in consequence of a shock, occasioned by the house taking fire, in which he was confined; and I also know an instance, where a similar accident caused a patient to relapse, from a very hopeful state of convalescence, to a most deplorable state of the disease.

The swing of Dr. Cox, as a means of producing nausea, or vomiting, is not the best, I think, that might be contrived. Perhaps an imitation, of the motion of a vessel at sea, would better answer the purpose: this might easily be effected by making the patient fast in a boat, put upon a small piece of water, which the attendant could agitate at pleasure, first in easy undulations, and afterwards more briskly.

ur

35. PAGE 70.

SINCE writing the above, I recollect one single instance, of person recovering in a very short time after the commencement of what I then thought insanity; but I might be mistaken, as I was but a youth. I was fetched to a poor woman that it was said was gone mad: no cause was given, but the people round her, told me she was of a mad breed. I found her in a strong deli

rium, which, as far as I was able to judge, was insanity. Having no expectation of her getting well in a short time, I prevailed upon one neighbour to take her young child, and another undertook to draw her breasts, and look after her: I bled her in one of the feet, and had her legs put into warm water up to her knees for an hour. I gave her a purge, and ordered a bottle filled with hot water to be put to her feet. Whatever was her complaint, she was quite well of the delirium the next day, only complained of a little languor; but was well enough to go about her work, and take back her child; and I never heard of a relapse.

THE zeal of Dr. Cox in the service of his patients, seems highly commendable in this respect; and though

I

may differ from him in some of my opinions, I should not hesitate to recommend his house to the notice of those, who have friends labouring under this complaint.

CON

CONCLUSION.

UPON reading the first part of this work, since it was

printed off, it has occurred to me, that I have not sufficiently insisted on the necessary means of preventing insanity; nor explained myself properly upon the subject.

It is not to be understood, that where the symptoms of approaching insanity are observable, a single purge will remove the danger. It will not only be requisite to give three or four smart purges at first, but also to keep the body in a laxative state, by gentle aperient medicines, for weeks, or even months; in short, till the symptoms disappear: and even in those hypochondrical cases that may require bracing measures, costiveness should be carefully guarded against. In both cases, a proper regard to temperance should be attended to, and all indigestible food, and strong liquors avoided. A return to free living, should be very gradual; and in all cases where free living is indulged by those who have any reason to apprehend this complaint, the occasional use of laxative medicines is absolutely necessary. The other extreme, of deluging the stomach with weak diluting liquors, does harm. Valetudinarians are apt

to

to quack themselves with weak teas, made of herbs: these, instead of strengthening the tone of the stomach, (the common pretence for the use of them,) weaken it, and where there is danger of lunacy, most assuredly do harm.

Travelling on foot, by easy stages, taking great care to avoid the extremes of heat and cold, and in particu lar wet feet, and in the company of an agreeable, intelligent, and talkative companion, may be highly useful; for the advantage of seeing new objects, depends, in a great measure, on the companion being able to give every thing an amusing complexion. In these cases, a good jester may prove a most valuable friend.

Singing, music, reading aloud, cheerful company, and the lighter dramatic entertainments, may all be useful. Gaming of all kinds, dancing, and the sports of the field, are more likely to do harm than good. I should object to fishing as an amusement, it often requiring too great a stretch of patience; and I have been led to think, that there is something unfavourable to such cases in the situation, on the edge of water, independent of the danger to be apprehended. I have known an instance, of a gentleman being suddenly seized with mania, after waiting for a bite two hours, who had not previously shown any symptoms of the complaint.

But many of those likely to be injured by the ardency of literary pursuits, cannot sometimes relish any thing. under the appearance of amusement. Such frequently find relief by a small variation in the subject

may

under