Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-02-08
Insanity in the Middle Ages.

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The middle ages we're a period oi up
heayel, 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 plant was CON
sidered beneficial, if gathered at the
new moon; but deadly poison, If at the
moons wane Science, art, and htera-
ture, went down in the storm; and
wars, battles, pestilence, and famine
we're the order of the day. As God was
invoked in vain, men turned to Satan.
The belief in the devil was UNIVERSAL
and the world became hell NOW
both science and experience show that
the prevailing notions Of given period
are very rapidly taken up by the insane,
and by them distorted into grotesque
shapes. with a uniformity resembling
the symptoms of epidemic disorders.
This phenomenon is of daily occur
renee. Thus, accordingly as France IS
ruled by a king, an emperor, or presl-
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-
mms. men Of unquestionable patriot
ism who will tell you that they guided
the Prussians mp the heights Of Sedan.
The phenomenon therefore of diaboli-
cal possession in the middle ages is'per-
fectlv natural The calamities attend
ant on continual wars had so enervated
the people, that they were tit subjects
for all manner of mental disorder; and
this, taking form from the prevailing
IDEAS Of the times, found expression IN
denoniacal possession.
During the middle ages the devil was
every uJi9,tc demoa. There was one
religious sect whose adopts were ever
spitting. hawking, and blowing the nose
with view to expel the devils they had
swallowed. A trace of this still remains
in some localities, where one who
sneezes is saluted with God bless you!
Such beliefs were universal Thus
certain prior of a convent had around
him constantly a 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
we're even cited to appear before ecclesl-
astical tribunals--a curious and pltlful
epoch. when the possessed and their
exorcists were madmen alike!
This view Of insanity was favored by
the philosophical, or rather the theo-
logical ideas of the time. According
to these, man was of two-fold nature.
On the one hand was 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 inetfable
glory of heaven. The body is but the
souls DWELLING -place-a temple or a
den, accordingly as its invisible inhabl-
tant is a 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 a moment. No doubt the
ideal of purity thus held up was sub
lime: vet the result of it was the up
setting of the body's equilibrium; and
his reacted on the mind. But this
theory led to still more serious conse-
auences. for it was admitted into
science, and checked the progress OF the
medical art. When, in 172S, Broussais
attacked it. he was accused of bias
phemy and of "sapping the tounda-
lions of society. Now, however, we
know that the faculties Of the mind are
not independent of the conditions Of
the BODY Take a slight dose of sui
phate Of quinine and you lose, for the
time being, the faculty Of recollection;
swallow a little hashish, and you are
+rausjentlv insane