It is an old opinion, and continues still to prevail, that maniacs are influenced by the changes of the moon. In the fourth chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, verse 24, we find the word “Σεληνιαξομένους” which is rendered in the English version, “those which were lunatic.” Notwithstanding the notion of being moon-struck might prevail among the ignorant people of Galilee, yet Hippocrates, a philosopher, and correct observer of natural phænomena, does not appear to have placed any faith in this planetary influence. Although the Romans were infected with this popular tradition, as may be seen in the following passage of the Art of Poetry,
“Ut mala quem scabies aut morbus regius urget,
Aut fanaticus error, et iracunda Diana
Vesanum tetigisse timent fugiuntque poetam,
Qui sapiunt:”—
yet Celsus did not consider the operation of the moon on the human intellect sufficiently well founded to admit it into his medical work. Not a word on this subject is mentioned in the eighteenth chapter of his third book, which particularly treats of Insanity, “De tribus insaniæ generibus;” it is true that, in the fourth chapter of the first book, which speaks “De his quibus caput infirmum est,” he says “Cui caput infirmum est, is si bene concoxit, leniter perfricare id mane manibus suis debet; nunquam id, si fieri potest, veste velare; aut ad cutem tondere: utileque lunam vitare, maximeque ante ipsum lunæ solisque concursum.” By the infirmum caput, Celsus does not mean madness, as may be clearly seen by perusing the chapter: the weakness of intellect, which frequently continues after fever, or other violent diseases, is evidently his meaning; but Dr. Cox has quoted the above passage, to prove that Celsus was impressed with the truth of this vulgar opinion. He says, “This idea of lunar influence, in maniacal complaints, was handed down to us by our medical forefathers, and is still very generally adopted.”
It is most probable that this idea of planetary regency, however it might have arisen, or to whatever extent it may have been credited, received in the Arabian school, the stamp by which its currency has been subsequently maintained. For the revival and dispersion of ancient medical knowledge, we are confessedly under considerable obligations to the Arabians;[16] and more especially for the incorporation of astrology, magic and alchymy, with medicine.
Popular superstitions and national proverbs, are seldom without some foundation; and with respect to the present, it may be observed, that if it were not in some degree rooted in fact, and trained up by observation, it would become difficult to ascertain how such an opinion came to be adopted; and this investigation is rendered still more important from the consideration, that the existing law in this country, respecting insane persons, has been established on the supposed prevalence of this lunar regulation. A commission is issued, de lunatico inquirendo, and the commissioners sitting for that purpose, are particular in their enquiries, whether the patient enjoys lucid intervals. The term lucid interval has been properly connected with the word lunacy; for, if the patient, as they supposed, became insane at particular changes of the moon, the inference was natural, that in the intervening spaces of time he would become rational.
It is more than probable, that the origin of this supposition of the lunar influence may be traced to the following circumstances. The period of the return of the moon, and of regular menstruation in women, is four weeks; and the terms which designate them, have been imposed from the period of time in which both are compleated. Insanity and epilepsy are often connected with menstruation, and suffer an exacerbation of their paroxysms at the period when this discharge happens, or ought to take place. If, therefore, the period of menstruation in an insane woman should occur at the full of the moon, and her mind should then be more violently disturbed, the recurrence of the same state may be naturally expected at the next full moon. This is a necessary coincidence, and should be discriminated from effect. But such has been the prevalence of this opinion, that when patients have been brought to Bethlem hospital, especially those from the country, their friends have generally stated them to be worse at some particular change of the moon, and of the necessity they were under, at those times, to have recourse to a severer coercion. Indeed, I have understood from some of these lunatics, who have recovered, that the overseer or master of the work-house himself has frequently been so much under the dominion of this planet, and keeping steadily in mind the old maxim, venienti occurrite morbo, that, without waiting for any display of increased turbulence on the part of the patient, he has bound, chained, flogged, and deprived these miserable people of food, according as he discovered the moon’s age by the almanack.
To ascertain how far this opinion was founded in fact, I kept, during more than two years, an exact register, but without finding, in any instance, that the aberrations of the human intellect corresponded with, or were influenced by, the vicissitudes of this luminary.
As insane persons, especially those in a furious state, are but little disposed to sleep, even under the most favourable circumstances, they will be still less so, when the moon shines brightly into their apartments.
It has also been considered, that intellectual labour frequently becomes a cause of insanity; that those, who are in the habit of exercising the faculty of thought, for the perfection and preservation of the reason of others, are thereby in danger of losing their own. We hear much of this, from those who have copiously treated of this disease, without the toil of practical remark; whose heads become bewildered by the gentlest exercise, and to whom the recreation of thinking becomes the exciting cause of stupidity or delirium. These persons enumerate, among the exciting causes of delirium, “Too great, or too long continued exertion of the mental faculties, as in the delirium which often succeeds long continued and abstract calculation; and the deliria to which men of genius are peculiarly subject.”
The mind of every man is capable of a definite quantity of exertion to good effect; all endeavours, beyond that point, are impotent and perplexing. The attention is capable of being fixed to a certain extent, and, when that begins to deviate, all continuance is time lost. It is certain that, by habit, this power may be much increased; and, by frequent exercise, that, which at first excited fatigue, may be continued with facility and pleasure. What species of delirium is that, which succeeds long continued and abstract calculation? Newton lived to the age of 85 years, Leibnitz to 70, and Euler to a more advanced period, yet their several biographers have neglected to inform us, that their studies were checquered with delirious fermentations. The mathematicians of the present day (and there are many of distinguished eminence) would conceive it no compliment to suppose that they retired from their labours with addled brains, and that writers of books on insanity should impute to them miseries which they never experienced.