of the case, I will relate in full: It may be the most intelligible receipt.
The person was a young married woman, and lived in Milton, Saratoga county; she came to me at Ballston pool, in the summer of 1795, if I remember right.
She was attended by her mother and some others; her mother was the only person she would correspond with; who had, in consequence thereof, taken her to her house;
she was terrified at the sight of her husband, with whom she had lived in perfect cordiality, until she became insane.
She had a young child, in suckling of which she was reduced to that debility that gave rise to her insanity; and perhaps there was some other corresponding causes,
that might contribute more or less to confirm that degree of debility.
Her child she would take no notice of, nor suffer any person to come nigh her, but her mother.
It was with much difficulty that her mother could prevail with her to take the most trifling sustenance, and that must be done in absence of every one but her mother.
Such was her situation after being attended about five months, to no good purpose.
She was emanciated lamost to a skeleton; deep dejection of spirits, gloomy and melancholy.
I observed all the decorum mentioned page 106; used all the address in my power to ingratiate myself into the number of her friends, which consisted then of her mother only;
this I knew was previously necessary, as I have no opportunity of administering to her in that situation.
Her husband came to the house - I observed her terror - I laid hold of this opportunity to gain upon her feelings; I would not suffer him to come nigh her, pretendedly so:
It had the intended effect.
To be brief, it was not long before I was able to persuade her to take a little wine; after this, under the appearance of entertainment, we got her to the machine,
when I passed some very light shocks in all the before mentioned directions.
We regaled her with all the lively appearances in our power.
The next day she could be induced to smile; this gave me great encouragement.
I alternated light shocks, with wine, diluted brandy, &c. and as her mind began to be caught with lively appearances, we endeavoured to furnish all the variety that was possible.
The consequence soon was, all that gloominess of mind was dispelled, and she gradually assumed the appearnce of cheerfulness; her digestion wss promoted, and she began to
take nutricious food freely.
To be short, in four or five weeks she was able to unite with her husband again in keeping house.
I had another case, just before this, at the same place: It was a Mr. ___ Olcox, tinman, within half a mile of the pool.
Several years before I saw him, he had been in a delirium, and, taking the advantage of the absence of the family in the evening, cut his throat across,
with a case knife; but some one coming in from
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