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Observations upon “Katatonia.”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Edwin Goodall*
Affiliation:
West Riding Asylum, Wakefield

Extract

Eighteen years have passed since Kahlbaum published his memoir upon this subject, yet it may be said that the claims of katatonia to be regarded as a distinct disorder are still unsettled. This prolonged period has not, however, been marked by phases of belief, such as are often exhibited subsequent to the publication of accounts of new disorders, or follow proposals to rename and reclassify disorders already known; at first enthusiastically believed in and subscribed to, these fall, at a later stage, upon evil days of neglect, and even oblivion. But with katatonia it has been otherwise. At no time does there appear to have been any widespread enthusiasm in alienist circles about this affection; at most it seems to have appealed to individuals, who have expressed merely isolated views, the statement of which has led to nothing more than limited controversy. Probably it may be said with justice that katatonia, for the majority of medical men in asylums in this country (at any rate), was but a name up to quite recent times; having a doubtful significance for some, for many quite without meaning. Granting that this remark is true, the truth brings with it no surprise, for the disorder referred to meets with scant notice in English text-books. This may be said without casting any reflection upon these works, which, of course, are not bound to treat of disorders not universally recognized.

Type
Part 1.—Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1892

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References

Klinische Abhandlungen ueber Psychische Krankheiten,” von Dr. Karl Kahlbaum. 1 Heft, Die Katatonie. Berlin, 1874.Google Scholar

Katatonia,” by MM. T. Séglas and Ph. Chaslin; “Brain,” Vol. xii. (apparently a translation of an article by these authors, originally published in “Archiv. de Neurolog.,” 1888, Num. 44–46). The same volume contains a paper by Dr. Julius Mickle, with case. In the article first-named the views of Kahlbaum are stated at some length. For a later German memoir than Kahlbaum's, see C. Neisser, “Ueber die Katatonie,” 1887.Google Scholar

Probably the best account of verbigeration is that by Clemens Neisser, “Allgem. Zeitechr. f. Psychiatrie.” 46 Band, 2 and 3 Heft, 1889.Google Scholar

Op. cit.Google Scholar

In a recent number of “Brain”—not at present in my possession—Dr. Mickle gives very fully the pathological appearances in his case, described in Vol. xii. of the same Journal.Google Scholar

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