G. H. a man twenty-six years of age, was received into the hospital, July
18th, 1795. It was stated that he had been disordered six weeks previously
to his admission, and that he never had any former attack. He had been a
drummer with a recruiting party, and had been for some time in the habit
of constant intoxication, which was assigned as the cause of his insanity.
He continued in a violent and raving state about a month, during the whole
of which time he got little or no sleep. He had no knowledge of his
situation, but supposed himself with the regiment, and was frequently
under great anxiety and alarm for the loss of his drum, which he imagined
had been stolen and sold. The medicines which were given to him he
conceived were spirituous liquors, and swallowed them with avidity. At the
expiration of a month he was very weak and reduced; his legs became
oedematous--his pupils were much diminished. He now believed himself a
child, called upon the people about him as his playfellows, and appeared
to recal the scenes of early life with facility and correctness. Within a
few days of his decease he only muttered to himself. August 26th, he died.
He was opened six hours after death. The pericranium was loosely adherent.
The tunica arachnoidea had generally lost its transparency, and was
considerably thickened. The veins of the pia mater were loaded with blood,
and in many places seemed to contain air. There was a considerable
quantity of water between the membranes, and, as nearly as could be
ascertained, about four ounces in the ventricles, in the cavity of which,
the veins appeared remarkably turgid. The consistence of the brain was
more than usually firm.