George Cheyne: The English Malady (1733) (Psychology Revivals)

Roy Porter

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780415709804
• eBook ISBN: 9781134636884
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psicología
• Subtopic: Salud mental en psicología

'Nerves' became a highly eligible illness in early Georgian London and Bath. What Freud was for Vienna at the end of the nineteenth-century, George Cheyne was for eighteenth-century fashionable ailments. The English Malady was one of the best known and most influential books of the Georgian age, dealing with what we would now call psychiatric disorders. Such disorders, he contended, should be regarded as diseases of 'civilization' and the product of the pressures and affluence of modern life. By making 'neurosis' acceptable, even fashionable, Cheyne's book assumed considerably wider significance during the Enlightenment. Prefaced by a scholarly introduction by Roy Porter, this reprint edition, originally published in 1991 as part of the Tavistock Classics in the History of Psychiatry series, places Cheyne and his work in the development of British psychiatry.

THE

English Malady:

OR, A

TREATISE

OF

Nervous Diseases of all Kinds,

AS

Spllen, Vapours, Lowness of Sprits, Hypochondriacal and Hysterical Distempers, &c.

In THREE PARTS.

PART I.
Of the Nature and Cause of Nervous Distempers.

————Nec te quxsiveris extra.

Persius.

By GEORGE CHEINE, M. D.
Fellow of the College of Physicians at Edinburgh and F. R. S.

LONDON:
Printed for G. STRAHAN, and J. LEAKE.
M.DCC.XXXIII.

THE English Malady.

Introduction

THE Spirit of a Man can bear his Infirmities, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? faith a Prophet. As this is a great Truth in the Intellectual World, so it may allude to the Human Machin, to insinuate; that a Person of found Health, of strong Spirits, and firm Fibres, may be able to combat, struggle with, and nobly to bear and even brave the Misfortunes, Pains, and Miseries of this mortal Life, when the same Person, broken, and dispirited by Weakness of Nerves, Vapours, Melancboly, or Age, shall bccome dejected, oppress’d, peevish, and sunk even below the Weakness of a Greensickness Maid, or a Child. Of this every one who has liv’d any time in the World may have seen Instances, from the Hero to the City Girl. This I have often observ’d, and reflected on within myself, with much Pity of the Folly and Misery, the Pride and Presumption of Human Nature which could value, or think to support itself, upon its own natural Courage and Force. To expect Fortitude, Patience, Tranquillity, and Resignation, from the most: Heroick of the Children of Men, under such Circumstances, from their natural Force or Faculties alone, is equally absurd as to expect to fly without Wings, or walk without Legs; the Strength of the Nerves, Fibres, or Animal Spirits (as they are call’d) being the neceilary Instruments of the former, as these Members are of the latter. Different natural Complexions of the Soul and Intellectual Faculties, and different Improvements from Education, Philosophy, or Religion, may make some small Odds in the Behaviour of different Persons under these Disorders. But this depends much upon the Degrees of the Distemper, and the original Frame and Make of the Body, even more than can be readily imagin’d, as I have often had undeniable Evidences to conclude. And, of all the Miseries that afflict Human Life, and relate principally to the Body, in this Valley of Tears, I think, Nervous Disorders, In their extream and last Degrees, are the most deplorable, and, beyond all companison, the worst. It was the Observation of a learned and judicious Physician, that he had seen Persons labouring under the most exquisite Pains of Gout, Stone, Cholick, Cancer, and all the other Distempers that can tear the human Machin, yet had he observ’d them all willing to prolong their Wretched Being, and scarce any ready to lay down chearfully the Load of Clay, (we will cxcept those who were supernaturally supported) but such as labour’d under a constant, internal Anxiety, meaning those most sinking, suffocating, and strangling Nervous Disorders; it is truly the only Misery almost, to be dreaded and avoided in Life, if, by any means, it can possibly. Tho other Evils be Burdens, yet an erected Spirit may bear them, but when the Supports are fallen, and cover the Man with their Ruins, the Desolation is perfect. I greatly suspect, (and have actually seen it in some) that most of those who make away with themselves, are under the Influence of this distracting Evil, if it proceeds not sometimes from high Passions arising in Constitutions naturally too sensible, and such are the most readily expos’d to the Insults of these Distempers. Having suffer’d once and again under all the Varieties of the Symptoms of this Disorder, partly from my own Indiscretion, and partly from a gross Habit of Body, and an original State of weak Nerves, and having tried in my own Person almost all the possible Means, Reliefs, or Medicines, that Physicians, Books of Physick, or Philosophy, could suggest, besides my own Observations on many others, who have come to this Place for Relief for these Thirty Years, and being once and again perfectly rescu’d from them by the same Means, it will be a great Satisfaction to me, if I can at least alleviate and mitigate the Sorrows and Miseries of myFelbw-Sufferers, by the Experience I have so dearly bought.

THOSE who are desirous to read the ensuing Treatise only for their Relief and Cure, may pass over those Parts (which may be learned by the Index) that are merely Philosophical, and design’d only to gratify their Curiosity, they having no necessary Connection with what is Directory or PracticaL

THESE need only suppose, that the Human Body is a Machin of an infinite Number and Variety of different Channels and Pipes, filled with various and different Liquors and Fluids, perpetually running, glideing, or creeping forward, or returning backward, in a constant Circle, and sending out little Branches and Outlets, to moisten, nourish, and repair the Expences of Living. That the Intelligent Principle, or Soul, resides somewhere in the Brain, where all the Nerves, or Instruments of Sensation terminate, like a Musician in a finely fram’d and wcll-tun’d Organ-Case; that these Nerves are like Keys, which, being struck on or touch’d, convey the Sound and Harmony to this sentient Principle, or Musician.

OR, in a more gross Similitude, the Intelligen Principle is like a Bell in a Steeple, to which there are an insinite Number of Hammers all around it, with Ropes of all Lengths, terminating or touching at every Point of the Surface of the Trunk or Case, one of whose Extremities being pull’d or touch’d by any Body whatsoever, conveys a measur’d, and proportion’d Impulse or Stroke to the Bell, which gives the proper Sound. These, or such like Similitudes, tho Lame and Imperfect, are all, I doubt, was ever design’d for the Generality of Mankind in the Knowledge neceifary towards Health and Life, in such Matters. Those acquainted with the best Philosophy, Natural History, The Laws constantly observ’d by Bodies in their Actions on one another, and the establish’d Relations of Things, will, 1 hope, meet with fuller Satisfaction, if they consider the following Treatise, without Prejudice or Partiality,

Chap. I.
Of the Sources and Causes of Chronical Distempers in general.

§. I. THE most univesal and comprehensive Sources and Causes of Chronical Distempers are, 1 st. A Glewines, Sizyness, Viscidity or Grosness in the Fluids, either accidental, or acquir’d by those Persons who were born with found or good condition’d Juices; or original and hereditary, in those who have brought them so dispos’d into the World with them, from the ill State of Health and bad State of Humours of the Parents, which, possibly, they may have had transmitted to them from theirs, and so on for many Generations backwards. A rotten and corrupt Tree can produce nothing but bad Fruit, nor can any natural Cause have a better Effect than its Principles, or Natural Qualities can prorduce. 2dly, Some Sharpness or corrosive Quality in the Fluids, arising from a saline or other destructive Mixture thrown into them, of from some gross Concretions not sufficiently broken and divided by the digeistive Powers in the Alimentary Tube, retarding or stopping the Circulation in the small Vessels, whereby the stagnant. Juices become sharp and corrosive, and the Salts have Time, by their innate attractive Quality, to crystalize or unite in greater Clusters, and exert their destructive Force on the Solids; and this will be stile more pernicious and fatal, if the Food is not only in too great a Quantity for the concoctive Powers to break and divide it suficiently, but is likewise too high, strong, and full of Salts, from which the most terrible Symptoms will ensue. 3 dly, A too great Laxity or Want of due Tone, Elasticity and Force in the Fibres in general, or the Nerves in particular. There is a due Degree of Strength, Power and Springyness required in the Fibres or Solids, not only to make the Juices circulate, and carry on their Motions backwards and forwards in a continual Rotation thro’ the whole Habit, but also to break, divide, and subtilize them further, that they may be able easily to pass, not only thro’ the slender and finer Tubes of the capillary Vessels, but also through the Strainers of the Glands, either to throw off those Recrements and grosser Parts, which are not required for the animal Functions, or to separate those Juices which are required for the Preservation of the Individual. These are the most effectual, general and immediate Causes of all chronical Distempers, of which, when any one is, in any eminent Degree, become habitual, the other two spring up, or follow very soon, and join with it in producing the various Symptoms of these Disorders. Other Specialities and Circumstances may concur with them, but they would have little Effect, if these could be supposed absent or removed.

§. II. THE first Caule mentioned will obstruct and possibly burst the small and capillary Vessels that carry about the Fluids, producing Tumours, Swellings, and Ulcers, and will not only tumify and afterwards relax and spoil the whole almost infinite Set of Glands, external and internal, but especially those which are properly called Emunctory ones, and so stop the Secretions, and fill the Body-with vicious and morbid Juiccs. This Distention, Swelling and Hardness of the Glands and small Vessels, will likewise press upon the Nerves, stop and intercept their Vibrations or Tremors, or whatever else be their Action, and, consequently spoil their natural Functions. The Second will not only rend, tear and spoil the Vessels, creating acute Pains, and produceing corrosive, Scorbutick and Cancerous Ulcers and Sores, in all Parts of the Body, but will also, by twitching and vellicating the Nerves or nervous Fibres, produce Convulsions, Spasms, and all the terrible Symptoms of that Tribe of nervous Distempers. The last mentioned Cause will not only weaken and destroy voluntary Motion, and the Force and Freedom of the intellectual Operations (for the Exercice of which, as long as the Union lasts, material Organs and their Soundness and Integrity seems to be required as well as for the animal Functions) but will also retard and weaken the Circulation, stop the Perspiration, and confound and disorder the Secretions, and all the Functions that belong to either Part of the Compound.

Chap. II.
Of the General Causes of the Disorders of the Nerves.

§. I. THE Solids, and consequently the Fibres and Nerves whereos, they are woven and complicated, are subject to several Disoiders which may interrupt and entirely ruin their Functions. As, first, by becomeing either too dry, or too moist, that is by Want, or Excess of Humidity, Moisture or Nourishment to keep their Parts in a due or proper Tone or Elasticity. The first generally arises from a too hot, dry, and as it were corrosive Nourishment, which renders them too crisp, over elastick, and brittle, and so forces on the Circulation, and sends about the Juices with too great Force, Rapidity, and Violence, instead of that calm and uniform manner, in which the Functions, and Secretions of the animal Oeconomy, are naturally perform’d, and that due Balance, which ought, naturally to be between the Solids and Fluids. And this probably has a great Share in the Production of inflammatory Disorders, high Fevers, and the other acute Distempers of strong Constitutions. The second from too great a Quantity of oily and nutritious Juices thrown on them more than the Expences of living require, soakin...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Original Title
• Original Copyright
• CONTENTS
• Dedication
• PREFACE
• THE CONTENTS
• PART I.
• PART II.
• PART III.