Ofallthetriumphswonbyscienceforhumanity，fewhavebeenfarther-reachingingoodeffectsthanthemoderntreatmentoftheinsane。Butthisistheresultofastrugglelongandseverebetweentwogreatforces。Ononesidehavestoodthesurvivalsofvarioussuperstitions，themetaphysicsofvariousphilosophies，thedogmatismofvarioustheologies，theliteralinterpretationofvarioussacredbooks，andespeciallyofourown——allcompactedintoacreedthatinsanityismainlyorlargelydemoniacalpossession；ontheothersidehasstoodscience，graduallyaccumulatingproofsthatinsanityisalwaystheresultofphysicaldisease。
　　Ipurposeinthischaptertosketch，asbrieflyasImay，thehistoryofthiswarfare，orratherofthisevolutionoftruthoutoferror。
　　Nothingismoresimpleandnatural，intheearlystagesofcivilization，thanbeliefinoccult，self-consciouspowersofevil。Troublesandcalamitiescomeuponman；hisignoranceofphysicallawsforbidshimtoattributethemtophysicalcauses；
　　hethereforeattributesthemsometimestothewrathofagoodbeing，butmorefrequentlytothemaliceofanevilbeing。
　　Especiallyisthisthecasewithdiseases。Therealcausesofdiseasearesointricatethattheyarereachedonlyafteragesofscientificlabour；hencethey，aboveall，havebeenattributedtotheinfluenceofevilspirits。[341]
　　[341]Onthegeneralattributionofdiseasetodemoniacalinfluence，seeSprenger，HistoryofMedicine，passimnote，foralaterattitude，vol。ii，pp。150-170，178；Calmeil，DelaFolie，Paris，1845，vol。i，pp。104，105；Esquirol，DesMaladiesMentales，Paris，1838，vol。i，p。482；alsoTylor，PrimitiveCulture。Foraveryplainandhoneststatementofthisviewinourownsacredbooks，seeOort，Hooykaas，andKuenen，TheBibleforYoungPeople，Englishtranslation，chap。v，p。167andfollowing；alsoFarrar’sLifeofChrist，chap。xvii。ForthisideainGreeceandelsewhere，seeMaury，LaMagie，etc。，vol。
　　iii，p。276，giving，amongothercitations，onefrombookvoftheOdyssey。OntheinfluenceofPlatonism，seeEsquirolandothers，asabove——themainpassagecitedisfromthePhaedo。Forthedevotionoftheearlyfathersanddoctorstothisidea，seecitationsfromEusebius，Lactantius，St。Jerome，St。Augustine，St。JohnChrysostom，St。GregoryNazianzen，inTissot，L’Imagination，p。369；alsoJacobi。e。，PaulLecroix，CroyancesPopulaires，p。183。ForSt。Augustine，seealsohisDeCivitateDei，lib。xxii，chap。vii，andhisEnarrationinPsal。，cxxxv，1。
　　ForthebreakingawayofthereligiousordersinItalyfromtheentiresupremacyofthisidea，seeBecavin，L’EcoledeSalerne，Paris，1888；alsoDaremberg，HistoiredelaMedecine。EvensolateastheProtestantReformation，MartinLuthermaintainedTableTalk，Hazlitt’stranslation，London，1872，pp。250，256
　　that“Satanproducesallthemaladieswhichafflictmankind。”
　　But，ifordinarydiseaseswerelikelytobeattributedtodiabolicalagency，howmuchmorediseasesofthebrain，andespeciallythemoreobscureofthese！These，indeed，seemedtothevastmajorityofmankindpossibleonlyonthetheoryofSatanicintervention：anyapproachtoatruetheoryoftheconnectionbetweenphysicalcausesandmentalresultsisoneofthehighestacquisitionsofscience。
　　Hereandthere，duringthewholehistoricperiod，keenmenhadobtainedaninklingofthetruth；buttothevastmultitude，downtotheendoftheseventeenthcentury，nothingwasmoreclearthanthatinsanityis，inmanyifnotinmostcases，demoniacalpossession。
　　Yetataveryearlydate，inGreeceandRome，sciencehadasserteditself，andabeginninghadbeenmadewhichseemeddestinedtobringalargefruitageofblessings。[342]InthefifthcenturybeforetheChristianera，HippocratesofCosassertedthegreattruththatallmadnessissimplydiseaseofthebrain，therebybeginningadevelopmentoftruthandmercywhichlastednearlyathousandyears。InthefirstcenturyafterChrist，Aretaeuscarriedtheseideasyetfurther，observedthephenomenaofinsanitywithgreatacuteness，andreachedyetmorevaluableresults。Nearthebeginningofthefollowingcentury，Soranuswentstillfurtherinthesamepath，givingnewresultsofresearch，andstrengtheningscientifictruth。TowardtheendofthesamecenturyanewepochwasusheredinbyGalen，underwhomthesametruthwasdevelopedyetfurther，andthepathtowardmercifultreatmentoftheinsanemadeyetmoreclear。InthethirdcenturyCeliusAurelianusreceivedthisdepositofprecioustruth，elaboratedit，andbroughtforththegreatideawhich，hadtheology，citingbiblicaltexts，notbanishedit，wouldhavesavedfifteencenturiesofcruelty——anideanotfullyrecognisedagaintillnearthebeginningofthepresentcentury——theideathatinsanityisbraindisease，andthatthetreatmentofitmustbegentleandkind。InthesixthcenturyAlexanderofTrallespresentedstillmorefruitfulresearches，andtaughttheworldhowtodealwithmelancholia；and，finally，intheseventhcentury，thisgreatlineofscientificmen，workingmainlyunderpaganauspices，wasclosedbyPaulofAegina，whoundertheprotectionofCaliphOmarmadestillfurtherobservations，but，aboveall，laidstressonthecureofmadnessasadisease，andontheabsolutenecessityofmildtreatment。
　　[342]ItissignificantofthisscientificattitudethattheGreekwordforsuperstitionmeans，literally，fearofgodsordemons。
　　Suchwasthisgreatsuccessionintheapostolateofscience：
　　evidentlynootherhasevershownitselfmoredirectlyunderDivinegrace，illumination，andguidance。Ithadgiventotheworldwhatmighthavebeenoneofitsgreatestblessings。[343]
　　[343]Forauthoritiesregardingthisdevelopmentofscientifictruthandmercyinantiquity，seeespeciallyKrafft-Ebing，LehrbuchdesPsychiatrie，Stuttgart，1888，p。40andthepagesfollowing；Trelat，RecherchesHistoriquessurlaFolie，Paris，1839；Semelaigne，L’Alienationmentaledansl’Antiquitie，Paris，1869；Dagron，DesAlienes，Paris，1875；alsoCalmeil，DelaFolie，Sprenger，andespeciallyIsensee，GeschichtederMedicin，Berlin，1840。
　　Thisevolutionofdivinetruthwasinterruptedbytheology。
　　TheresetintotheearlyChurchacurrentofbeliefwhichwasdestinedtobringallthesenobleacquisitionsofscienceandreligiontonaught，and，duringcenturies，toinflicttortures，physicalandmental，uponhundredsofthousandsofinnocentmenandwomen——abeliefwhichhelditscruelswayfornearlyeighteencenturies；andthisbeliefwasthatmadnesswasmainlyorlargelypossessionbythedevil。
　　ThisideaofdiabolicagencyinmentaldiseasehadgrownluxuriantlyinalltheOrientalsacredliteratures。IntheseriesofAssyrianmythologicaltabletsinwhichwefindthoselegendsoftheCreation，theFall，theFlood，andotherearlyconceptionsfromwhichtheHebrewssolargelydrewtheaccountswroughtintothebookofGenesis，havebeendiscoveredtheformulasfordrivingouttheevilspiritswhichcausedisease。
　　InthePersiantheologyregardingthestruggleofthegreatpowersofgoodandevilthisideawasdevelopedtoitshighestpoint。FromtheseandotherancientsourcestheJewsnaturallyreceivedthisadditiontotheirearlierview：theMockeroftheGardenofEdenbecameSatan，withlegionsofevilangelsathiscommand；andthetheoryofdiaboliccausesofmentaldiseasetookafirmplaceinoursacredbooks。SuchcasesintheOldTestamentastheevilspiritinSaul，whichwenowseetohavebeensimplymelancholy——and，intheNewTestament，thevariousaccountsofthecastingoutofdevils，throughwhichisrefractedthebeautifulandsimplestoryofthatpowerbywhichJesusofNazarethsoothedperturbedmindsbyhispresenceorquelledoutburstsofmadnessbyhiswords，giveexamplesofthis。InGreece，too，anideaakintothisfoundlodgmentbothinthepopularbeliefandinthephilosophyofPlatoandSocrates；andthough，aswehaveseen，thegreatleadersinmedicalsciencehadtaughtwithmoreorlessdistinctnessthatinsanityistheresultofphysicaldisease，therewasastrongpopulartendencytoattributethemoretroublesomecasesofittohostilespiritualinfluence。[344]
　　[344]FortheexorcismagainstdiseasefoundatNinevah，seeG。
　　Smith，Delitzsch’sGermantranslation，p。34。ForaveryinterestingpassageregardingtherepresentaionofadiabolicpersonageonaBabylonianbronze，andforaveryfrankstatementregardingthetransmissionofideasregardingSatanicpowertooursacredbooks，seeSayce，Herodotus，appendixii，p。393。Itis，indeed，extremelydoubtfulwhetherPlatohimselforhiscontemporariesknewanythingofevildemons，thisconceptionprobablycomingintotheGreekworld，asintotheLatin，withtheOrientalinfluencesthatbegantoprevailaboutthetimeofthebirthofChrist；buttotheearlyChristians，ademonwasademon，andPlato’s，goodorbad，werepagan，andthereforedevils。TheGreekword“epilepsy“isitselfasurvivaloftheoldbelief，fossilizedinaword，sinceitsliteralmeaningreferstotheSEIZUREofthepatientbyevilspirits。
　　Fromallthesesources，butespeciallyfromoursacredbooksandthewritingsofPlato，thistheorythatmentaldiseaseiscausedlargelyormainlybySatanicinfluencepassedonintotheearlyChurch。Intheapostolictimesnobeliefseemstohavebeenmorefirmlysettled。Theearlyfathersanddoctorsinthefollowingageuniversallyacceptedit，andtheapologistsgenerallyspokeofthepowerofcastingoutdevilsasaleadingproofofthedivineoriginoftheChristianreligion。
　　Thisbelieftookfirmholduponthestrongestmen。ThecaseofSt。GregorytheGreatistypical。Hewasapopeofexceedinglybroadmindforhistime，andnoonewillthinkhimunjustlyreckonedoneofthefourDoctorsoftheWesternChurch。Yethesolemnlyrelatesthatanun，havingeatensomelettucewithoutmakingthesignofthecross，swallowedadevil，andthat，whencommandedbyaholymantocomeforth，thedevilreplied：“HowamItoblame？Iwassittingonthelettuce，andthiswoman，nothavingmadethesignofthecross，atemealongwithit。”[345]
　　[345]ForastrikingstatementoftheJewishbeliefindiabolicalinterference，seeJosephus，DeBelloJudaico，vii，6，iii；alsohisAntiquities，vol。viii，Whiston’stranslation。Onthe“devilcastout。”inMarkix，17-29，asundoubtedlyacaseofepilepsy，seeCherullier，Essaisurl’Epilepsie；alsoMaury，art。DemoniqueintheEncyclopedieModerne。Inonetext，atleast，thepopularbeliefisperfectlyshownasconfoundingmadnessandpossession：
　　“Hehathadevil，andismad。”Johnx，20。Amongthemultitudeoftexts，thosemostrelieduponwereMatthewviii，28，andLukex，17；andfortheuseoffetichesindrivingoutevilspirits，theaccountofthecureswroughtbytouchingthegarmentsofSt。PaulinActsxix，12。Onthegeneralsubject，seeauthoritiesalreadygiven，andasatypicalpassage，Tertullian，Ad。Scap。，ii。FortheverygrossviewtakenbySt。Basil，seeCudworth，IntellectualSystem，vol。ii，p。648；alsoArchdeaconFarrar’sLifeofChrist。ForthecaserelatedbySt。GregorytheGreatwithcomicaldetails，seetheExemplaofArchbishopJacquesdeVitrie，editedbyProf。T。F。Crane，ofCornellUniversity，p。
　　59，art。cxxx。ForacuriouspresentationofGreekviews，seeLelut，LedemonSocrate，Paris，1856；andforthetransmissionofthesetoChristianity，seethesame，p。201andfollowing。
　　Asaresultofthisidea，theChristianChurchatanearlyperiodinitsexistencevirtuallygaveupthenobleconquestsofGreekandRomanscienceinthisfield，andoriginated，forpersonssupposedtobepossessed，aregulardiscipline，developedoutofdogmatictheology。Butduringthecenturiesbeforetheologyandecclesiasticismhadbecomefullydominantthisdisciplinewas，asarule，gentleanduseful。Theafflicted，whennottooviolent，weregenerallyadmittedtotheexercisesofpublicworship，andakindlysystemofcurewasattempted，inwhichprominencewasgiventoholywater，sanctifiedointments，thebreathorspittleofthepriest，thetouchingofrelics，visitstoholyplaces，andsubmissiontomildformsofexorcism。Therecanbenodoubtthatmanyofthesethings，whenjudiciouslyusedinthatspiritofloveandgentlenessanddevotioninheritedbytheearlierdisciplesfrom“theMaster。”producedgoodeffectsinsoothingdisturbedmindsandinaidingtheircure。
　　Amongthethousandsoffetichesofvarioussortsthenresortedtomaybenamed，astypical，theHolyHandkerchiefofBesancon。
　　Duringmanycenturiesmultitudescamefromfarandneartotouchit；for，itwasargued，iftouchingthegarmentsofSt。PaulatEphesushadcuredthediseased，howmuchmoremightbeexpectedofahandkerchiefoftheLordhimself！
　　Withideasofthissortwasmingledavaguebeliefinmedicaltreatment，andoutofthismixturewereevolvedsuchprescriptionsasthefollowing：
　　“Ifanelforagoblincome，smearhisforeheadwiththissalve，putitonhiseyes，censehimwithincense，andsignhimfrequentlywiththesignofthecross。”
　　“Forafiend-sickman：Whenadevilpossessesaman，orcontrolshimfromwithinwithdisease，aspew-drinkoflupin，bishopswort，henbane，garlic。Poundthesetogether，addaleandholywater。”
　　Andagain：“Adrinkforafiend-sickman，tobedrunkoutofachurchbell：Githrife，cynoglossum，yarrow，lupin，flower-de-luce，fennel，lichen，lovage。Workuptoadrinkwithclearale，singsevenmassesoverit，addgarlicandholywater，andletthepossessedsingtheBeatiImmaculati；thenlethimdrinkthedoseoutofachurchbell，andletthepriestsingoverhimtheDomineSanctePaterOmnipotens。”[346]