pronounces the
verdict of chronic Bright's disease, it is not by any means equivalent
to a death warrant, but the condition is often compatible with many
years of usefulness and freedom from serious suffering.

=Treatment.=--Medicines will no more cure Bright's disease than old
age. Out-of-door life in a dry, warm, and equable climate has the most
favorable influence upon the cause of chronic Bright's disease, and
should always be recommended as a remedial agent when available.
Proper diet is of great importance. Cereals, vegetables, an abundance
of fat in the form of butter and cream--to the amount of a pint or so
a day of the latter, and the avoidance of alcohol and meat, fish and
eggs constitute the ideal regimen when this can be carried out. Tea
and coffee in much moderation are usually allowable and water in
abundance. The underclothing should be of wool the year round, and
especial care is essential to avoid chilling of the surface. Medicines
have their usefulness to relieve special conditions, but should only
be taken at the advice of a physician, whose services should always be
secured when available.

Part IV

DISEASE AND DISORDER OF THE
MIND

BY

ALBERT WARREN FERRIS

CHAPTER I

=Insanity=

Insanity is the name given to a collection of symptoms of disease of
the brain or disorder of brain nutrition or circulation. The principal
test of insanity lies in the adjustment of the patient to his
surroundings, as evidenced in conduct and speech. Yet one must not
include within the field of insanity the improper conduct and speech
of the vicious, nor of the mentally defective. Crime is not insanity,
though there are undoubtedly some insane people confined in prisons
who have been arrested because of the commission of crime.

Then, too, while mental defect may exist in the insane, there is a
certain class of mental defectives whose condition is due not to
disease of the brain, but to arrest of development of the brain during
childhood or youth, and these we call idiots or imbeciles; but they
are not classed with the insane.

_Mental Disorder Not Insanity_

We frequently hear repeated the assertion, "Everybody is a little
insane," and the quotation is reported as coming from an expert in
insanity. This quotation is untrue. The fact is that anyone is liable
to mental disorder; but mental disorder is not insanity. To
illustrate: a green glove is shown to a certain man and he asserts
that i