Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-03
Insanity In the British Navy.

The extent 10 which insanity prevails in
| the royal navy is shown by the tables In
the annual statistical report, and in the re.
port Of the Naval Lunatic Asylum, by In
spcctor. Gen. Macleod, M. d., who has for
many years been In charge of that jnstitu.
ton. The number of new cases returned
under the head OF insanity out Of total
force Of a. $50 men and boys In the navy
during the year 1874, was 81, and 80 cases
were invaded Ms unfit for service. The
actual admissions into the asylum at Var
mouth during the year were 40, OF whom
were officers, 10 pensioners and the re-
mainder petty officers, seamen, etc. The
average number OF patients constantly
under treatment In Yarmouth appears ~
be about 200, as 1913 was the number re-
naming on the list Of January, and 207
on the LIST OF December, the admissions
during the year being 40, and the deaths
and discharges 81. The general health OF
the patients is reported as satisfactory, and
among other interesting notes upon their
treatment DR.. Macleod refers at length 30
the curative action Of the Turkish baths
In certain forms OF mental disease. IL
was brought into regular Use during the
year 1874, In the cases Of noisy, excited,
destructive and wakefil patients, and II
was observed that they ali became calm
during the action OF the bath, and that
this comparatively good state continued
after IT. use. On some of the oiilcer.pa.
tients IL had very marked aud well.de-
fned effect, inasmuch rs they became
quiet and more rational One case In
particu lar is mentioned In which an Of
ficcr, who had 10 be pressed to take his
food before he used the bath, took itwith-
out any pressing atterward, and by the
time he had had his third bath he reused
himself up 10 become communicative and
10 state all his grievances. At the same
| time, while this change for the better WAS
manifest, II also became evident that, as
he showed more intelligence, hallucina.
tions OF hearing manifested themselves In a
very decided form. In other cases the
same partially successful results followed
the use Of the bath In the case Of ship
wright, who had very exciting delnsions
and was noisy and destructive, all the de.
lusions disappeared after the second bath
and the man became comparatively quiet
and manageable, his rest AT night being
also much improved. On the other hand,
Ii was found that he lost weight and be.
came intirm on his legs, although the dc.
crease OF motor was less noticeable as he
became accustomed 10 the bath. In one
case, subject Of chronic mania, com.
plete cure followed the use OF the bath.
The man had suffered from acute spinal
pain and had labored under delusions Of y
harmless nature. Great benefit followed
the use Of the bath he soon lost the de.
lusions and pains, becoming cheerful and
contented, and was discharged cured be.
fore the end OF the year. In the case Of
Authorizations OF hearing the bath appears
to have been less useful, except rs improv.
ing the patients rest IT night. Several
cases are mentioned where the power and
inclination TO take food have been com
pletely restored by Its use, even In men
who were previously fed with the stom.
ach. pump. OF the twcnty.tour patients
submitted 10 the action OF the bath during
the year only two made "a clear recovery,
but DR.. Macleod says that In all the cases
Ii induced temporary calm, which was
followed by good nights. Encouraged by
this success the Inspector General decided
To make more extended trial OF the bath
In the year which has just closed.
Another form Of treatment 10 which
special allus.on Is made Is that OF the ad'
ministration of the extract of Calabar
bean, blu, In only two cases out OF the
seven In which 1t was tried did IL produce
any marked benefit. In some instances
II resulted in AN improvement In speech
and In power OF motion, but not in tho
mental condition, while In one case the
patient, after It's administration, became
stupid, drowsy and heavy.
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