[p. 302]
associated, persons are most given to mania, namely, those
about puberty, young men, and such as possess general
vigour. But those in whom the heat is enkindled by black
bile, and whose form of constitution is inclined to dryness,
most readily pass into a state of melancholy. The diet which
disposes to it is associated with voracity, immoderate repletion,
drunkenness, lechery, venereal desires. Women also sometimes
become affected with mania from want of purgation of the
system, when the uterus has attained the development of
manhood; but the others do not readily fall into mania, yet,
if they do, their cases are difficult to manage. These are the
causes; and they stir up the disease also, if from any cause
an accustomed evacuation of blood, or of bile, or of sweating
be stopped.
And they with whose madness joy is associated, laugh, play,
dance night and day, and sometimes go openly to the market
crowned, as if victors in some contest of skill; this form is
inoffensive to those around. Others have madness attended
with anger; and these sometimes rend their clothes and kill
their keepers, and lay violent hands upon themselves. This
miserable form of disease is not unattended with danger to
those around. But the modes are infinite in those who are
ingenious and docile,--untaught astronomy, spontaneous philosophy,
poetry truly from the muses; for docility has its good
advantages even in diseases. In the uneducated, the common
employments are the carrying of loads, and working at clay,--they
are artificers or masons. They are also given to extraordinary
phantasies; for one is afraid of the fall of the oilcruets
..... and another will not drink, as fancying himself
a brick, and fearing lest he should be dissolved by the liquid.
This story also is told:--A certain joiner was a skilful
artisan while in the house, would measure, chop, plane, mortice,
and adjust wood, and finish the work of the house correctly;
would associate with the workmen, make a bargain with them,
