The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-20 00:00:00

INSANITY.

. Dr. Knight, in his Observations on Insanity,
mentions the circular swing as a physical agent
possessing immense powet. He says=" I have
found tilt circular swing extremely beneficial in
obstin aticonstipation, and in dyspeptic complaints
accompanied with much acid. Mary Sandiford,
a very fine young woman; said to me, on the
20th September, 1813, Putting me in the .cir-
cular swing did me more good than any thing
else ; it threw all the sour stuff off my stomach.'
Shortly after this she recovered, and was dis-
charged well. When patients are
.very unruly,
and at the same time afflicted with either of these
ailments, it never fails to be physically and mo-
rally beneficial. Apprehensions have been ex-
pressed lest the use of the circular swing should
induce apoplexy : having attentively examined
the sources of these fears, I conclude them to he
perfectly groundless ; nor have I ever seen the
slightest reason to apprehend such a result, nor
do I believe it ever can occur, if the patient be
not in a furious state when put into the swing;
but, if he be, the excitement of the mind will
counteract the effect of the swing, wonderfully
powerful as it is. The act of turning him will
exasperate him still more if possible ; he will
struggle violently, and neither stomach nor
.bowels be affected, at least for several minutes, if
at all ; and the visible blood-vesseli of the fade and
neck have become exceedingly turgid by the pa-
roxysm of fury and exertion ; but, even in this
case, it is more than probable that arterial ac-
tion is checked. When giddiness is felt, the
stomach is speedily affected, and . the pulse is
lowered both in frequency and strength, a process
not likely to terminate in sanguineous apoplexy,
the only species to be apprehended. With this
exception, or precaution,. I consider the circular
swing perfectly safe. It is a machine that should
be easily accessible in every asylum for lunatics,
but never used except under the direction of an
experienced physican. I consider the best time
for its usse is a little before retiring to rest for the
night, as the unloading of the alimentary canal,
the lowering of the pulse, and the relaxation of
the skin, very generally predispose to sound and
refreshing sleep. In concluding my report re-
lative to this machine, I shall take the. oppor-
tunity to declare my conviction that it might be
made extremely useful in general practice, espe-
cially in some inflammatory affections of the vis-
. cera of the abdomen, and probably in the com-:
,raencement of some fevers. I refrain from trot];
',ling my medical reader with my reasons. for this
conclusion, as I apprehend he will readily recog-
nise them in the facts and opinions'recorded in
the preceding pages."

WINE.—At the sale of Lord
Lovaine's property in Lower Brooke-street,
Grosvenor-square,"Jast week, a small quantity of
Malaga, of the vintage of 1747, was knocked
down by Mr. Oxenhain, at Twelve Pounds, per
dozen Pint Bottles. It wa44 whispered in the
zoom as being purchased for his Majesty.
We last week noticed the death of Mr. Thomas
Weatt',..erhocra of Kirkby Moor ; we have been
00,
since
int,lrmed that by his will he has disposed
of between 20 and 40,0001. During his life he
had thrown a degree of slight on his only
daughter, who is inlzri_ed to an industrious cot-
tager at Burgh in the .Marsh,• but he has be-
queathed to her the very handsome sum of
10,000/. His eldest son has come in for
10,0001., and his nephew, William Asiiton, who
worked as a labourer upon the highway in the
parish of Scrernby; has received an annuity of
between 2001. and 3001.-13oston Gazette.
..: .
When an East; Indianian: 4rSt airiveS Off the
1-loogly River, in Bengal, a crowd of black Mere
chants and other Orientals of various descrip,'
flow; hurry on board, as if to seek whom they
may devour. One of these gentry will go up to
a young Englishman on the quarter-deck, and
accost him with, " Massa, what appointment are
you come out with ?" lam a Cadet:" Oh,
Massa, very„bad—no gold mohurs—no pagodas
—very bad. To another he will say, "
Mass', what appointment have you got ?" A
Writersbip."' " Oh, Massa, excellent good—
plenty. of nlohurs, pagodas, rupees—make me
massa s tiebash, (head man —Massa want
no
money ; no,, nothing—Massa pay one time or
other."
Yesterday morning, _the infant child of Mr.
Stockman, a plasterer, at. No, .11, Brown-streel,
Vrosvenor-square, was accidentally smothered
by its own brother, a boy ahol4, seven years of
age; The mother of the children bad-gone out
on an errand, leaving her infant, a fine baby,
i
about two months old, n bed fast asleep, desir-
ing the other children to put the things to rights
-while she was gone. The young
.boy, being
unconscious of the infant being in the bed,
which__ was in a turn-up bedstead, rolled it up,
axed fastened it. /4'll.rs. Stockman, who returned
n a short time, unconscious of the disaster,
inquired
edwhat had become of the baby.; lid On
fin
the children had not seen it, she instantly
tore :dOwn the
smothered 3ed, and found the poor 14y
between the clothes. It is impossible
to describe
alarm .was intim feelingsi of the mother. An
sent for, who triedY‘ given, and a surgeon was
The every method to restore life,
but in inituainora.
ct_cu
titoor woman is almost in a
The melancholy catastrophe.