nate of zinc, quinine, iron, and other blood tonics, are valuable remedies in these cases. In instances of impaired intelligence, associated with active head symptoms, vertigo, headache, &c., such as to justify the belief that capillary congestion exists, judicious local depletion and counter-irritation are often of much service. The abstraction of blood, however, is rarely necessary in these cerebro-psychical affections, and yet I have known patients to be greatly relieved by a modified course of antiphlogistic treatment. Minute doses of strychnine are occasionally indicated, and the various preparations of arsenic, with and without iron, and ammoniated solution of copper, I have found to afford considerable tone to the brain and mind, if judiciously administered. I am of opinion that the therapeutic value of arsenic and copper are not sufficiently appreciated in the affections of the brain and nervous system, particularly if associated with states of vital depression.

The faculty of attention, like that of memory, is susceptible of being greatly cultivated and strengthened by a regular and continuous exercise of its powers. Habits of slovenly thought and careless attention are easily formed, and when once contracted not easily combated. The effort to subject the attention to the controlling influences of the will may at first be difficult, but all obstacles will vanish before a steady and unrelaxed determination to conquer and bring into a state of subjugation the restive faculty. "When we turn," says Sir W. Hamilton, "for the first time, our view on any given object, a hundred other things still retain possession of our thoughts. Even when we are able, by an arduous exertion, to break loose from the matters which have previously engrossed us, or which every moment force themselves on our consideration, even when a resolute determination, or the attraction of the new object,

has smoothed the way on which we are to travel, still the mind is continually perplexed by the glimmer of intrusive and distracting thoughts, which prevent it from placing that which should exclusively occupy its view in the full clearness of an undivided light. How great soever may be the interests which we take in the new object, it will, however, only be fully established as a favourite, when it has been fused into an integral part of the system of our previous knowledge, and of our established associations of thoughts, feelings, and desires. But this can only be accomplished by time and custom. Our imagination and our memory, to which we must resort for materials with which to illustrate and enliven our new study, accord us their aid unwillingly, and indeed only by compulsion. But if we are vigorous enough to pursue our course in spite of obstacles, every step as we advance will be found easier; the mind becomes more animated and energetic, the distractions gradually diminish, the attention is more exclusively concentrated upon its object, the kindred ideas flow with greater freedom and abundance, and afford an easier selection of what is suitable for illustration. At length our system of thought harmonizes with our pursuit. The whole man becomes, as it may be, philosopher, historian, or poet; he lives only in the trains of thought relating to this character. He now energises freely, and consequently with pleasure, for pleasure is the reflex of unforced and unimpeded energy. All that is produced in this state of mind bears the stamp of excellence and perfection."*

I have yet to address myself to the treatment, medical and moral, of impairment and loss of memory. In such cases, clearly the effect of physical disease or irri

* "Lectures on Metaphysics," by Sir W. Hamilton, Bart. Vol. i.

p. 255.

tation established in the brain, or in some part of the body closely sympathising with this organ, no good will result from an attempt to strengthen or revivify this mental power, apart from a careful pathological investigation of the cerebral state of the patient, and the adoption of a mode of physical and psychical treatment suggested by such examination. In all acute affections of the brain damaging the memory, it is useless to battle with a symptom, to treat an effect, without carefully considering the cause. Great benefit occasionally results from the exhibition of stimulants in certain cases of impaired memory consequent upon an exhausted condition of the nerve and vital force.

In less acute conditions of defective memory, advantage undoubtedly accrues from judicious attempts on the part of the patient to revivify the faculty, but if these efforts should be succeeded (as is occasionally the case) by vertigo, headache, or other corporeal symptoms of distress, the mind should be left in a passive state, until the cerebral condition is such as to justify a repetition of the experiment. It occasionally occurs that a language, apparently forgotten, has been suddenly revived during the effort made to seize hold of and resuscitate past impressions. When making these efforts we should be careful not to strain the faculty beyond justifiable limits. How often the attempt to recall ideas to the mind is abortive? Under these circumstances, if the brain is permitted to be in a quiescent state, the ideas will frequently recur to the mind spontaneously. If I were permitted to theorise on the subject, I should be inclined to suggest, that the endeavour thus made to remember past impressions establishes a cerebral and psychical oscillating movement, which continues in the vesicular neurine of the brain after we cease to make any conscious effort to resuscitate apparently obliterated ideas.

Is not this hypothesis supported by the following fact? How often does it happen that all attempts to exercise the memory previously to retiring late at night to rest, are found to be nugatory; but how vivid and life-like are the ideas in the morning following a state of brain activity, consequent upon a satisfactory amount of cerebral and psychical repose? Impressions which we were not conscious of effecting previously to sleep have undoubtedly been made upon the mind, and the oscillations or actions thus induced in the nerve vesicle have continued during the night, the mind being clearly and forcibly impinged with the ideas which we tried to stamp upon it on the previous evening.

During the stage of convalescence, and occasionally after recovery from attacks of insanity, I have known. patients complain of a distressing rapidity of thought, and of an acute sensitiveness to impressions, physical as well as moral, which have caused them at times great anxiety of mind. There has been a want of cerebral repose and mental quietude, of which the patient has been painfully conscious. The "tempest of the mind" having subsided, has left a slight ruffle on the surface of the waves which time and an immunity from excitement only can subdue.

Dr. Abercrombie refers to a case related by Dr. Gregory, of a maniac who had been some time under his care, and had entirely recovered. For a week after his restoration to health, he was harassed, particularly during his dreams, by the same rapid and tumultuous thoughts, and the same violent emotions which had agitated him whilst insane.

A patient, who during his insanity imagined himself to be an exalted personage, told me, that for some months after his recovery he never could entirely dispossess his mind of the idea of his having acquired a

certain degree of social elevation. He had no belief in his having obtained regal distinction, for this delusion no longer existed in his mind; but "I believed," to use his own words, "I was a little higher in rank than the class I legitimately belonged to.

In these cases there undoubtedly exists a cerebral action or oscillation, which continues after the balance of the mind has been restored. It is phenomena like these that render the stage of convalescence, perhaps, the most critical one to treat in cases of insanity.

There is no faculty of the mind so susceptible of being improved by moderate and regular exercise as that of memory. It is said that Sir Isaac Newton, at one period of his life, entirely forgot the contents of his celebrated

Principia," in consequence of his neglecting to exercise the memory. The famous Mr. Hude spent several years in close application to conic sections. Leibnitz, in returning from his travels, called to see him, and expected to have been highly entertained by conversing with him on the subject of his studies. "Here," said Mr. Hude, sighing, "look at this manuscript; I have forgotten everything in it since I became burgomaster of Amsterdam."

Lord Bacon is of opinion that the memory is not strengthened by repeated efforts to fix certain ideas on the mind; in other words, that if a passage which we wish to recollect is carefully read ten, it is more likely to be remembered than if it were read twenty times, provided an effort be made to recite the words after each reading. Quæ expectantur et attentionem excitant, melius hærent quam quæ prætervolant. Itaque si scriptum aliquod vicies perlegeris, non tam facile illud memoriter disces, quam si illud legas decies, tentando interim illud recitare et ubi deficit memoria, inspiciendo librum."*

* "Nov. Org." lib. ii. aph. 26.