| Description Of Item | Illustration from the collection of Alexander Morison. Plate 95 of Morison’s 'The Physiognomy of Mental Diseases' (1840). Unsigned [François Rochard]. Also reproduced in 'Outlines of Lectures' (1848) plate 9, identified as 'Mary H' presumably in error.
'Portrait of E. S. aged 98; a widow.
This old woman appears to have been very handsome in her youth, had been three times married, and retained her eye-sight and hearing unimpaired. She was subject to two or more paroxysms of mania in each year; on these occasions she was very mischievous, generally destroyed her bedding for successive days, and manifested great physical strength in the blows she inflicted on her attendants; the duration of these attacks varied from ten days to three weeks; in the intervals she was in a state of quiet imbecility of mind; although she could give rational answers to a few questions of easy comprehension, and frequently talked with animation on the scenes of her early days she could not carry on a conversation, and was frequently incoherent in her discourse.
She died in the 102nd year of her age, after a short illness of a few days, during which she expressed herself aware that her death was at hand; she was able to read the prayer-book to the last, without the aid of glasses.' |