Insanity: Its Causes and Prevention

y existed among the aborigines of North America, or among uncivilized p

tes New England, have been handed down, and there must have occurred cases of insanity, to a greater or less extent, among all savage nations, arising from injuries to some portion of

ivilized life, hardly attain to adult age, even if they were not intentionally left to perish, so that the vast majority of those who did arrive at those pe

nd living in comparative freedom concerning those uncertainties of business and property which exist so generally among some classes, and even nations, under t

holds so large a sway, and wields so strong an influence, in the lives of their brethern and sisters in civilized life; and, moreover, experienc

d ministering to comfort, and, with the vast storehouse of mental wealth which comes into the possession of mankind through the influences of civilization, there should, somehow, necessarily come with them, greater liability to such a calamity as insanity. This is, howe

n. Both are terms, the general signification of which, for practical purposes, is supposed to be well enough understood, but when we

s of time in the same country; they may be old or new, high or low, one thing in this century, and another in the next. That of the ancie

nditions which always accompany its progress, we may say that civilization may be considered as the measure of

fect even large numbers, some other more practical idea of its character will be necessary. For my present purpose it may be considered as the sum of resu

ertain to life in the savage state, upward toward those which abound in civilized life, in that measure has the sum total of diseased conditions, in both body and mind, increased; in this measure have there resulted degenera

have become many times larger, by abandoning those conditions of life which pertain to the savage state, and assuming others of a vastly higher and more complex nature, yet, thus far in his history, he has not succeed

ases, needs hardly to be said, and that they are no less productive of insanity and other diseases of the n

of the human system that the various organs become strong and maintain a high standard of health, only while under a considerable degree of activity, and this is especially true of the muscular and nervous systems. Ina

th in relation to mechanics, education, governments, and the social amenities; the increase of strength pertaining to thought, and consequent self-reliance, and ability to rise above the adverse circumstances and experiences of life; freedom from the conditions of uncertain and limited supply, with attainment of those of a fairly certain and abundan

e were all, or indeed mainly, the effects attenda

oms, and practices, and those of a character highly adverse to the maintenance of healthy mentality, hav

sequently, a larger supply of blood has been summoned to these parts of the brain to repair the loss incurred by this increased activity. This change and consequent disturbance in the relative blood-supply, as between the brain and other parts of the system, would be o

which attends the change, there has been a large tendency to over-stimulate the intellectual faculties, which has been ai

of those who are called upon to conduct them, which have been heretofore unknown. To meet these requirements it has been thought necessary to pursue such courses of education, and to present such special incentives to study on the part of the young, by the use of prizes and grades of scholarship, and public exhibitions, as will bring into operation

se substances, as well as the subject of education, in their effects upon the nervous system, will be discussed more fully in future chapters, and are on

the strong aid the weak, so that when privations, from failure in the chase and other causes, may come, they affect all together, and generally in like degree. The passion of avarice is in a latent state; those

at once. Each and every person, or family, is expected to rely upon his, or its, individual effort for success in obtaining such things as are n

not only to neglect the weak, but often to tyrannize over them; they become selfish and not unfrequently covetous, and require much for little. The distinctions and conditions of society incident to wealth

uggle, the weaker ones, sooner or later, tend toward the wall. The strong become stronger from the very conditions and influences which surround them, while the weak

e to the tenure of land; so that, once owned, always owned, might be considered as the law. Land, once in possession, continues in families for long generations, or indefinitely, unless it revert to the government. In either case its resources in ameliorating the conditions of the poor, and ministering to the productive wealth of the country, are great

To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have an abundance, while from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he appeareth to have. The rich have an abundance and surfeit, while the poor become poorer, and suffer for the requisites wherewith to become strong, or even to remain in physical health. To the one class pertain all thos

of living under the conditions of civilization without them; no peoples have ever passed from the community of interests and possessions, which exists so largely in savage life, up to those condi

increase, and which statistics appear to confirm, are correct, we perceive at once how important, in relation

rtance and interest to legislators and political economists; and as there exist reasons for supposing that, under the changing conditions of our modern civilization, it will more surely tend to invade the homes of many who have heretofore been exempt, and will

d expectations of life; we cannot, nor is it desirable, in all respects, if we could, do much to promote community of interests in property. But it is important to bear in mind that, after all, the prime condition of insanity lies, to a large extent, back of these exciting causes. Thousands have passed through such conditions and experiences, have suffered from disappointment and failure in respect to their plans and purposes; have endured exposures and hardships all their lives; all, without becoming insane, and thousands more will continue to do so in the f

f all manifestation of diseased action, an antecedent condition, which is the soil from which morbid actions spring. There exist the scrofulous, the p

, because they slept in damp rooms; the neuralgic twinges of their fifth pair of nerves extend over into ours. The acid of the grapes, which our fathers ate, has acted on the enamel of our bicuspids and molars. That intangible tendency to weakness, to unhealth, so indefinable, so delicate, so ina

another rheumatism, in another pneumonia, in yet another bronchitis, and in the fifth person no morbid action at all. Now in these several persons there must have exi

tinue for weeks or months. It is evident that there must have been, in the last case, a condition of the system which rendered the action of the miasm possible, and without which, it would have been entirely, or nearly, inert. In fact, strictly speaking, this cause, or antecedent condition, is rather a part of the disease itself, and cannot, in fairness, be separated from it. For,

e operation of those ordinary exciting causes, which, to a greater or less extent, surround the lives of all persons, and which we term the Insane Diathesis. It becomes

ANE DIA