Eighth annual report of the directors and physician of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics. 1835.

  • James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eighth annual report of the directors and physician of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics. 1835. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    dow, from a great height, but was fortunately pre¬ vented by his friends. On being brought to the Asylum, he exhibited symptoms of the most gloomy despondency, and almost constantly exclaimed that there was no hope for him in the next world; at other times, he was exceedingly furious—and frequently attempted to assault his keeper—so that it became necessary to place him under temporary restraint. After a time, he was induced to engage in some em¬ ployment about the house and grounds, in company with one of the keepers, and, for a considerable period, no change appeared; but, at length, his distemper gradually yielded, and he was restored to the complete possession of his reason. Insanity exhibits itself in forms infinitely diversified. There are several patients, now in the Asylum, who labour under religious despondency, and have their minds filled with the most fantastic ideas. One of the patients imagines himself a skeleton. This man affords a striking instance of the cunning which has frequently been remarked to be a concomitant of in¬ sanity. He had attempted to kill his brother and sister, and nearly succeeded in killing his mother; • «■ and he had been about three years, in a state of con-