I fear that the subject which I have undertaken will seem a very useless one to most of the readers of the “Journal of Mental Science.” As several of our systematic treatises on insanity contain very full accounts of the opinions and treatment adopted by the ancient physicians, it will naturally be supposed that the subject is either exhausted, or at least has no further practical interest. This is, however, by no means the case. As far as the statement of general principles goes, there can be little doubt that the passages scattered amongst the works of Aristotle which refer to insanity are of much greater value at the present day than any of the treatises of the classic psychiatrists.

We have in the consideration of the influence of the emo tions upon the blood-vessels anticipated, to some extent, the fundamental principle of this section. The important part played by the vaso-motor nerves was there dwelt upon, chiefly in connection with the vascularity of the skin, which so manifestly results from emotional excitement. The circulation of the blood through the various organs of the body being affected by the same cause, the action of the emotions in inducing well-marked changes in nutrition and secretion is not extraordinary. But the question which at once arises, whether these variations in the circulation of the blood in the organs and tissues, adequately account for the alterations in nutrition and secretion, now referred to, deserves some consideration here.

The thermometrical observations made for a considerable period of time in a number of selected cases of general paralysis of the insane, form the subject of this paper. In all of them, the pulse and respiration associated with each temperature is added to make the observations more complete. The cases chosen exhibit a considerable variety in etiology, in duration, in degree and rate of progression of the motor symptoms, and also in the phases and forms of concurrent mental disorder.

I have ventured to undertake the responsibility of bringing this important subject forward, in the hope that any little I can dp may go some way towards abolishing a line of treat ment which I consider to be unsatisfactory in its results and demoralising in its tendencies. Unsatisfactory in its results by its failing to raise the percentage of the recoveries of our patients, and in its being of no real benefit to those so treated; and demoralising in its tendencies by ever being before the attendants as a tempting means by which they may easily get rid of a troublesome patient to gratify their own idle propensities.

The recent trials for murder, in which insanity has been alleged for the defence, whatever differences of opinion they may have given rise to, have clearly shown how entirely unfitted a common jury is to decide the delicate and difficult question of a prisoner's mental state. Had the wit of man been employed to devise a tribunal more unfitted for such a purpose, it might have exhausted itself in the vain attempt. It is one of the anomalies of British jurisprudence that while in an action for libel or any civil injury a special jury may be claimed, and the services of men who are above the lowest levels of ignorance and prejudice be thus obtained, it is quite otherwise when a person is on trial for his life. In this most momentous issue, however complicated the circumstances, however obscure the facts, he must stand the verdict of twelve common jurymen. In ordinary cases of murder, when the facts are such as any person of average sense and experience may judge of, the system works sufficiently well, or at any rate no great harm ensues; but in any case in which it is necessary to form a judgment upon scientific data, a common jury is assuredly a singularly incompetent tribunal. The very terms of science they are ignorant of, and they either accept the data blindly on the authority of a skilled witness, or reject them blindly from the prejudice of ignorance. The former result is commonly what happens in regard to scientific evidence of poisoning; the latter is commonly what happens in regard to scientific evidence of insanity. There are few persons who, without having had a special chemical training, would venture to give an opinion on the value of the chemical evidence given in a case of poisoning, but everybody thinks himself competent to say when a man is mad; and as the common opinion as to an insane person is that he is either a raging maniac or an idiot, it is no wonder that juries are prone to reject the theory of insanity which is propounded to them by medical men acquainted with its manifold varieties. It would seem to be an elementary principle of justice that a prisoner on trial for his life should have the right to claim a jury of men specially competent, or at any rate not absolutely incompetent, to judge of the facts on which his defence is to be based.