Though the doctrine of Demons, or being possessed, has been discarded;
yet, in my opinion, it deserves a more serious consideration than medical
men imagine:—it involves the true theory of mind and matter, their
connection with each other, and the principles on which this connection
depends, and by which it is regulated. I shall leave this question for
the present, with the intention of returning to it at some future
opportunity. However, one thing this case serves to prove and
illustrate, which is, that whatever mysterious link the mind may
constitute in the order of being, it is certain that this is according to
or dependant on the physical condition of the material organs through
which this connection operates, so that the physical reasoning on
disordered and diseased organization remains precisely the same, whether
we admit or deny that the visible, and invisible world subsist together
and are in indissoluble connection.
_No._ 30.—_Admitted_ 1808.—_Aged_ 47.
I have not been able to obtain a very accurate or full history of this
old and incurable case. He was a clergyman of the Church of England. He
had been a hard reader and distinguished student at Cambridge, and he now
gives proof of his having been an excellent classic. It is said, that
after he had obtained a small vicarage, although not an immoral man, he
was gay and expensive in his habits. After the age of thirty, he hastily
married an exceedingly beautiful girl of about sixteen years of age, but
who was uneducated and from a low station of life. Afterwards
discovering her deficiencies as a companion, his love cooled into
indifference, and his naturally proud, impatient, and uncontrollable
temper was made worse; he treated her harshly, their quarrels became
habitual, and they lived in hatred, misery, and distraction together.
In this state of his disappointed affections he was seduced into various
intrigues. Shame, conscience, and loss of character, quarrels with his
parishioners, aggravated at the same time by a fall from his horse on his
head, increased his natural irratibility of temper, and so mortified his
pride, that he became desperate and attempted suicide. After this he had
a regular paroxysm of maniacal violence, which subsided, although it has
returned with considerable increasing intervals up to this time.
During his lucid intervals, he will talk of the harshness with which he
was used, when it was first considered necessary to remove him from home;
and there is no doubt there is some truth in his statements: at the same
time it seems right to observe that, if in any instance it can be
excusable to allow our natural feelings for a moment to overcome us, this
was one of such cases. The proud, malignant, and contemptuous manner
displayed in his violence, was irritating in the extreme.
About eight years ago, he continued for some time in a perfect state of
convalescence, and when the paroxysm returned, its violence and duration
appeared in proportion to the length of intermission. These paroxysms
and intervals of convalescence have since preserved the same ratio to
each other. It is remarkable that the last interval of convalescence,
commencing about five years ago, continued for more than three years,
which I attribute to the absence of causes of irritation, more delicate
and attentive treatment, and constant resources of various amusements.
During the whole of this time, he could not be persuaded to leave the
place; he said “It would not do;” that he “should soon be worse than
ever.” The name of home and his wife seemed to make him shudder; and
when asked if he should not like to go, he shook his head, turned away,
and said nothing; but he evidently painfully felt the association of old
exciting causes.
It ought, however, to be mentioned that during the whole of this time he
would frequently exhibit signs of great uneasiness and irritability,
would pace the gallery or airing court, in quick and hurried steps, and
afterwards call his attendants to play a game at whist or backgammon: at
these times he was in the habit of chewing orange-peel, which he
constantly carried in his pocket for that purpose, and afterwards he
would say his troubles were overcome. He has since had a return of his
insanity, from which he never perfectly recovered; I have since
understood that he is dead.