The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1873-02-01

The middle ages we're period Of nm
heavel, when everything was swallowed
up in the bottomless abyss OF scholasti-
cism and demonology, and medicine be-
came a routine of superstitious prac-
tices. Such and such a plant was con
sidered beneficial, if gathered at the
new moon but deadly poison, if at tbe
moons wane Science, art, and Iitero-
ture, went down in the storm al
wars, battles, pestilence, and faD,;n,
we're the order of the day. As God uos
invoked in vain, men turned 10 saton
The belief in the devil was universal
and the world became a hell No.,
both science and experience sbow a..
the prevailing notions Of given ner;od
are very rapidly taken up by the insane
andby them distorted into protesoue
shapes, with a uniformity resembling
the symptoms of epidemic disorders.
This phenomenon is of daily occur
renee. Thus, accordingly rs France is
ruled by king, an emperor, or a presi-
dent, those insane persons who imagine
themselves TO be somebody. claim the
rank of president, emperor, or king. as
the case may be. There are at the pre-
sent time in the various French asy-
lums, men Of unquestionable patriot
ism who Will tell YOU that they guided
the Prussians up the heights of Sedan.
The phenomenon therefore of diaboI
cal possession ia the middle ages is per
fectly natural. The caIamities attend
ant on continual wars had SO enervated
the people, that they were fit subjects
for all manner of mental disorder; and
slis takinor f.,.~ te.-..-.. 49, -..,s,-asli.e,
ideas Of the times, found expression IN
demoniacal possession.
During the middle ages the devil was
every ubiQue dosRon. There was one
religious sect whose adopts were ever
splitting, hawking. and blowing the nose
with a view to expel the devils they had
swallowed. A trace of this still remains
in some localities, where one who
sneezes is saiuted with God bless your
Such beliefs were universal. Thus a
certain prior of a convent had around
him constantly guard of two hundred
men, who hewed the air with their
swords, so as to cut to pieces the dem
ons who were assaulting him. Demons
were even cited to appear before ecclesi-
astical tribunals curious and pitiful
epoch, when the possessed and their
exorcists were madmen alike
This view of insanity was favored 10y
the philosophical, or rather the theo-
logical ideas of the time. According
to these, man was of a two-fold nature.
On the one hand the flesh, mere mat
ter; on the other the soul, direct emana-
ton from Deity passing through this
vale of tears, on its way to the inefiable
glory of heaven The body is but the
souls dwelling-place-a temple or a
den, accordingly as its invisible inhabi-
tant is servant Of God or Of Satan.
Therefore. when the soul is diseased,
the treatment must regard the soul
alone, which is governed by laws Of its
own, and is merely in juxtaposition with
the body for moment. No doubt the
ideal of purity thus held mp was sub
lime: yet the result of it was the up
setting of the body's equilibrium; and
this reacted on the mind But this
theory led TO still more serious conse-
duences. for il was admitted into
science, and checked the progress OF the
medical art When, IN TBS, Broussais
attacked it, he was accused of bias
phemy and OF "sapping the founda-
tions of society. Now, however, we
! know that the faculties of the mind are
not lndepenoeut o1 tine o0noh,ions oi
the body. Take a slight dose OF SUI
phate Of quinine and You lose, for the
time being, the faculty Of recollection T;
swallow little hashish, and you are
| transiently insane.