Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-14
Is MIND EVER D,sEAsED9

Tho report " the Superintendent Of
the Insane Asylum indicates some OF
the methods Of treatment employed In
minlstcring TO % mind diseased"
The question arises whether the mind.
a. such. IL ever diseased. 60 the cN-
tent ~ In being overturned. or whether
II ls not tho brain. instead ~ the
mind. that In affected In all eases "
the loss ~ reason.
II IL wen known that most ~ the treat
mcnt for insane persons II physical In
liz nature or IN ita immediate effects;
and the result on the mind itself may
be- due to the Improved phynicai con-
dillon Of the brain and body.
The mind appears always 10 be
rational. where there u no affection ~
IN. brain and no malforination OF lack
~ development. In many caHcs. In
deed. insanity Is known TO be due TO
false reporting, by the senses. the
nervous system. and the organs OF
cprccpiion: the insane person acting
precisely ~ any sane person might
under the circumstances, II hin senses
should falsely report to the mind what
the insane persons senses report.
For example. tho insanity due 10
dclirium trcmens Is what may be-
termed a very reasonable Kind of In
sanity. n we bear In mind that tho
patient actually secs snakes and hob
COLLINS aud simply acts In accordance
With such Information ms his percep-
lions give him. His Information IL
false. due to diseased state u some
portions Of the BRAIN but his mind Is
acting precisely M the rational mind
would act ON such presentations By
the ucn~-a,
Insanity IL frequently due to COM
plcto Absorption upon one idea. which
fnaily comes 10 dominate IN the mind
To the partial or total exclusion Of all
other Ideas. II Is not improbable that
such constant dwelling ON one idea dis
eases aud dlsarrangca the portions Of
the brain Involved Ia the production
~ that idea. and loss ~ reason, at
/ least on that one subject II the result,
Nothing h known of that Infinitely
/ NNINAINNfN anu MWAANN|ANMN NNNMiNNANNA "
the brain which II necessary TO the
production ~ rational thought. but IL
IL known that the slightest inalndlust-
ment NJ that Intricate mechanism may
oyertutn human reason. And Just as
the most rkllliul plano player can get
nothing but discard out ~ an lnstru-
mont In which the keys are transposed
or not In tune. - the most perfect
mind acting through brain that H.
diseased or dlsatrnugod, must exhibit
madness ar insanity 10 the precise de-
gree Of the mnladjustmcnta In the
brain PARTICLES. 80 held Shakespeare
Eve are not ourselves.
when nature, being oppressed COM
mIudH tho mind
10 runor with the body"-Ning Lear
act 2.
n this thought which Is sanctioned
by ihe highest philosophy OF our age.
IL true. that the brain rather than tho
mind II actually affected curing In
sanity. the distinction and dignity OF
tho mind or soul. rs contrastcd with
the body b. all the more apparent
and wonderful.
The human mind, or rather the
spiritual ego, Is the divine lnhnhtnnt
" the clay which makes up our earthly
bodies, and does not sharr Ia many oc
tho incidental imporfcctions Of tho
tabernacle. but true 90 To- high origin.
lt uses tho body as an instrument.
shaping Its destiny but being itself af.
fccted by the imporfeotloua OF tho
] badly.