extract from the Act, viz., 8 & 9 Vict., c. 107, s. 8.,-an Act intituled one "for the establishment of a Central Asylum for Insane persons charged with offences in Ireland," shews:

Be it enacted That whenever and as soon as the Central Asylum shall be erected, and fit for the reception of criminal lunatics, it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant or other chief governor or governors of Ireland to order and direct that all criminal lunatics then in custody in any Lunatic Asylum or Gaol, or who shall thereafter be in custody, shall be removed without delay to such central asylum, and shall be kept therein so long as such criminal lunatics respectively shall be detained in custody.

Nothing can be plainer than the above in regard to the "custody" of "Criminal Lunatics," and this retrograde movement of placing such characters within the walls of the ordinary establishments, is nothing short of a direct breach of the law as it stands.

We are further convinced of the great injustice and impropriety of so doing by the proceedings at a recent meeting of the Berlin MedicoPsychological Society, of which the following is an extract, so very pertinent to the subject under consideration, as transcribed into the Medical Times and Gazette of the 6th February

Disposal of Insane Prisoners.

As already observed, the mode of managing insane prisoners has hitherto been very objectionable, and it may be asked whether it would not be the better plan to send them to lunatic asylums.

This, at first sight, would seem to be the natural solution of the question.

It is, however, not a practical solution, for the transference of such prisoners to asylums is the law at the present time, after due care has been taken to acquire assurance that the patient is not simulating.

Dismissal from the prison on prophylactic grounds, however, never takes place, and only chronic and incurable cases are really brought to the asylums. These lunatic asylums hardly suffice for the wants of the free population, and are not suited to insane criminals, who, when assembled together, conspire, and require careful watching. In consequence, and in spite of their insanity, they are persons possessed of criminal intentions and immoral habits, rendering them unfit for the society of other lunatics.

Many lunatic asylums have protested against the reception of such patients, and more still will do so if all categories of prisoners of unsound mind are sent to them.

Most of the mentally diseased prisoners are not diseased in the sense of rendering them suitable inmates for ordinary lunatic asylums.

The best solution of the question would be the establishment of a department of the prison for lunatics, which, as far as the treatment of the diseases of its inmates is concerned, should be under the management of a regular psychological physician. This should be divided into two sections, one of which, destined for the actually insane, should be furnished with every appliance for their treatment.

The other section should admit the temporarily insane, the weak-minded, and all those whose cases require watching, as well as those who, in consequence of their physical condition, require a milder treatment than could be applied to them in the prison itself. Herr Ideler observed that his daily experience convinced him of the impropriety of introducing these insane prisoners into asylums, where they prove constant sources of disturbance. Lunatic asylums should have nothing to do with them, and no harm can result from their being treated in the prisons.

We have not left ourselves space to refer to many other interesting matters in the Report of the Inspectors, nor to take notice of the Private Establishments for the Insane in Ireland, further than to quote the statement made in regard to them-viz., "We are gratified at being enabled to report that, looking to the general working of private licensed houses during the past year, not a single cause of complaint sufficient to need an official inquiry was preferred to the Executive or to the Inspector; neither was there an instance of improper detention." (p. 110.)

We have only, in conclusion, to say that the statistics are, taken as a whole, remarkably complete; their preparation must have been a most laborious task to both Inspectors and Medical Superintendents respectively; and further, that the entire contents of this bluebook for 1873 evince great care and labour in compilation, and reflect no small credit upon the department from which it has emanated.

2. French Retrospect.

By T. W. McDoWALL, M.D., Edin., and J. G. McDOWALL, M.B., Edin. ("Annales Médico-Psychologiques" for 1874.)

On the Influence of Moral Causes upon the Body and specially upon the Nervous System.

This great subject is treated by Dr. Védie by giving very shortly :

1.-A resume of those psychological facts which bear most upon the subject.

2. An examination of physiological phenomena connected with the former. Then shall become evident the laws which govern all psychological and physiological phenomena.

3.-The application of these laws to pathology and therapeutics; or, what is equivalent, an examination of the pathological and therapeutical phenomena produced by mental causes. The question of miracles naturally falls to be discussed in connection with this part of the subject.

4.-The reasons why some educated people and even physicians err in their views concerning miracles, and misunderstand the natural laws which regulate these phenomena.

It is unnecessary to reproduce any of the author's remarks on the analysis and synthesis of the phenomena of consciousness, but we may indicate his method of treating of the action of the emotions on the organism. He divides the subject as follows:

I. Effects of moral causes upon the cerebro-spinal system and upon the great sympathetic.

A.-Effects upon the cerebro-spinal system. They are of two kinds; those discovered by observation, and those discovered by experiment.

Facts derived from Observation.-Everyone can prove for himself that the act of reflection, of combining ideas, of experiencing emotions, &c., produces a kind of indefinable fatigue, malaise, even pain, which is chiefly located in the brain.

It has been noticed also that intellectual work is always accompanied, after a certain time, by a distinct sensation of hunger or of the necessity for stimulants. This clearly indicates a loss of nervous force. But if the mental exertion has been too severe, the individual may experience an aversion to food, which shows at least a functional derangement of the stomach.

Facts derived from Physiological Experiment.—When psychological phenomena are in process of manifestation, there is a very considerable afflux of blood in the cerebral arteries. This may be expected to result in a rise of temperature, and increased interchange of material in the nervous tissue. It has been established by Legallois and others that arterial blood is essential to the nervous system, and that its absence involves the abolition of the cerebro-spinal functions. The exhalation of carbonic acid and the temperature of the body are appreciably raised during mental activity. According to Burdach, the heat of the body is increased by hope, joy, anger, and all exciting passions. Martin saw it rise from 35.5° to 37.5° (cent.) in a violent fit of anger. Schiff has shown that that of the nerves also is increased during functional activity. Lastly, Byasson has demonstrated that cerebral as well as muscular work is accompanied by an increased production of urea, which proves a production of heat greater than in the normal state. All these facts indicate that the manifestation of mind is accompanied by an exercise of the nervous system, and, indeed, that this work may be measured by the production of combustions which occur in the cerebro-spinal centres.

B.-Physiological effects produced by moral causes acting upon the great sympathetic. Changes in the colour of the face, and the various disorders produced in all the organs by the influence of violent moral causes, evidence the action of psychological phenomena upon the vaso-motor nerves, and prove that the shock to the cerebro-spinal system is communicated to the sympathetic. As examples, it is necessary only to refer to the well-known action of the emotions upon the heart and circulation. The stomach, however ridiculed by philosophers and moralists, is not insensible to the action of an agreeable emotion; and it is a matter of common observation that a person in whom this organ is sluggish or refractory, feels his appetite return if his dinner is enlivened by the presence of a friend. The removal of an anxiety often produces a greater effect than a glass of spirits or a cup of tea.

II.-Pathological and therapeutic effects of moral causes.

This in

fluence of moral causes upon the vaso-motor nerves easily explains to us all those cases of spontaneous recovery and also of sudden illness which so frequently astonish the vulgar and even physicians.

1st. Pathological effects of moral causes upon the nervous system. It is impossible to classify in a methodical manner the pathological nervous symptoms produced by the action of moral causes. For, according to individual predisposition, one will suffer from headache, another from insomnia, a third from some other nervous disorder. It would be necessary to notice the immense class of the neuroses, to convey an idea of the large number of nervous diseases whose development may be caused or favoured by moral causes. On this subject all writers on pathology are unanimous.

2nd. Pathological influence of moral causes upon the bodily functions. Medical literature is very rich in facts which prove that moral causes have an influence, not only upon the nervous system, but upon all the functions of the economy. They rarely affect a single organ, but generally several at once. In the production of disease they act as in the physiological state, by disturbing the innervation of the vaso-motors, but to a very much greater degree. We can in this manner explain the influence of the emotions, and of the superexcited imagination in resolving or aggravating inflammation, and in favouring or disturbing the process of nutrition. But as certain moral causes have an evil influence, so others have a beneficial action upon the organism. Imagination and powerful emotion have produced remarkable therapeutic results. All cases of paralysis cured by such means belong to the class described as nervous or hysterical. In connection with recoveries regarded as miraculous, it may be remarked that they have occurred in countries in which entirely different religions prevail.

It is unnecessary to follow the author further in his arguments to prove that all so-called miracles have nothing of the supernatural about them. Really, at this time of day, it is difficult to believe that people do live having faith in manifestations of the miraculous. They might succeed in converting unbelievers could they exhibit cases of general paralysis cured by visiting a shrine.

Hypertrophy of the Brain.

In connection with his paper Dr. Brunet gives a large number of references to French papers relating to this subject. He defines hypertrophy of the brain as an increase in the weight of that organ due to a disorder of nutrition leading to an alteration in the nervous substance. Hypertrophy, as well as arrest of development, is much rarer in women than in men, so that the extreme variations in brain weight are met chiefly among the latter.

Cerebral hypertrophy occurs under two forms, according as it is or

is not accompanied by induration of the nervous substance. In both these forms the cerebellum generally remains normal or almost so.

Cerebral Hypertrophy with Induration. This disease, in spite of several works devoted to its consideration, is but imperfectly known. It is due to the increase of the connective tissue which leads to atrophy of the nerve cells and fibres, as well as of the capillaries. It occurs indifferently during childhood, adolescence, adult and mature age, but not beyond 50. Saturnine intoxication is the only cause whose power is incontestable.

Its anatomical characters render it easy of recognition. The sinking and flattening of the convolutions, the diminution of the capacity of the ventricles, the induration and discoloration of the grey but specially of the white matter, constitute a set of anatomico-pathological signs which belong to it alone. According to Brunet the brain may increase to nearly double its normal weight; it may have the consistence of dried marsh-mallow paste; its cut surface is clean, pale, polished, glistening, and some empty vessels may be observed which by the appearance of their walls resemble the holes seen in Gruyère.

In

The principal symptoms of the disease are severe headache, periodically intensified; excitement, alternating with coma; blunting, enfeeblement, or arrest of development of the intelligence; difficulty in walking and moving the joints; epileptiform convulsions. children these symptoms are less marked than in adults, because the brain is less compressed, the cranial cavity increasing in capacity as the organ enlarges

Induration of the brain may be met, not only with hypertrophy of that organ, but also with it of normal volume, or atrophied. In paralytic dementia of long duration the white substance is hardened and atrophied, whilst the cortical layer is softened.

Cerebral Hypertrophy without Induration.-Dr. Brunet does not think that this form of hypertrophy has hitherto been described. He has observed two cases of it in idiots. It was complicated by periencephalitis, probably occurring during the last months of life. At the post-mortem examination of one of these cases, an epileptic mute, the following observations were made :-The arachnoid and pia mater are much injected, and present several sanguineous extravasations in their substance. They are not adherent to the cortical substance, except to a slight degree at a few places, as is found in the first stage of chronic periencephalitis. The brain is very voluminous, and forms two well-marked projections posteriorly. The convolutions are compressed, flattened, and the sulci are shallow. They are probably flattened by the pressure of the brain against the bones of the skull; this flattening is specially marked in the anterior third of the external surfaces. The cortical substance is more coloured than normally; the white substance congested. Microscopic examination demonstrated hypertrophy of the connective tissue, and the capillaries numerous and much injected.