| Description Of Item | This section contains 97 prints, primarily from drawings by Alexander Johnston, which Alexander Morison used in his book 'The Physiognomy of Mental Diseases' published in 1840. During previous cataloguing, the prints were divided into boxes and information on the subjects illustrated written on the box labels. The numbering did not correspond to the numbers on the plates themselves but did correspond to the order in which they appear in the book. There are two different numbers on each plate but only the later pencil number on the reverse relates to the book order. The plate number in the book is given in each entry. Plates 22, 23, 29, 30, 38, 41, 44, 65, 69, 72, 86-87, 95, 98 and Plate C-H (from the appendix) are missing. The drawings have been printed, mounted, laminated and strung for hanging. The illustrations are dated either 1838 or 1839 and some are initialled A J or signed A Johnston who was presumably the illustrator although a few are engravings by W H Lizars.
In the book Morison examined the physical characteristics of a number of people suffering from mental illness and addressed five main illnesses. The first of these is mania. Mania is based primarily upon an erroneous or delusional perception which is extended to objects of every description and also takes in such symptoms as excited imagination, a lack of care for ones own safety and a confused memory. It is this illness which forms the basis of the other forms of mania addressed in the book such as puerperal mania and mania with love which are largely self explanatory.
The second illness is monomania. The main difference between monomania and mania itself is that a person suffering from monomania seems to fixate upon a small number of predominant and exclusive ideas and the delerium or wandering is thus concentrated on these ideas. The ideas and actions of a monomaniac are therefore quite focused. Monomania is also notable for the varied physiognomy that reflect the thoughts in the patient's mind.
Dementia was the third illness and Morison defined it as the process by which the mind, having previously been in a sound state, deteriorates. Dementia is generally evidenced by the decay or abolition of the mental faculties in general and marked by incoherence of discourse and of actions without excitement such as occurs in mania.
The fourth disease was idiocy. The primary difference between idiocy and dementia is that idiocy occurs in very early life and as such results in a person being left with the manners of an infant. Having lost their reasoning faculties at an early age the patient never had the opportunity to learn more advanced manners. The person suffering dementia had the opportunity to learn advanced manners and behaviour before their deterioration.
The final disease that of imbecility which he characterised as a weak state of mind. In this state perception, memory, judgement and volition are manifested to a greater or less extent but memory is sometimes comparatively retentive.
[Source for information on the book: Joy Pitman] |