Abstract

lettres,Causes Sociales de la Folie. Par G.-L. DUPRAT, Docteur des Professeur de philosophic au lyc#{233}e ’Alencon. d (The Social of Insanity, by G. L. Duprat.) Paris, Felix Alcan. of Mind: A Study of its Development and Preservation. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, igoo.Conditions,of the Means F. Lrwcoi.x,to its M. D.These two little books into the causes of insanity both written for the generalhave essentially the same object-to enquire and the means of its prevention-and are public rather than specifically for professional a physician, and takes some positions whichreaders.Professor Duprat is notin accordhe takes the ground (p. 51) fevers, etc., produce insanity principally by tress which results from them. He considersmost advanced that traumatisms,medical thought. Thus, intoxications, infectiousthe psycho-physiological disit probable that all insanity,is essentiallythe same, (p. i).alcoholism,the twoparalysis,of maniais to be dividedand melancholia In general, the authoris disposedto exaltthe influenceof the environ-ment rather than that of the individual constitution, in the production of insanity, and to attribute hereditary degeneration to the prevailing social standards in regard to marriage, drinking habits and the like. Drunkenness he attributes mainly to insufficient nutrition, and has little confidence in any measures for its prevention which do not involve a different standard of living