Historical Views and Treatment
Madness, the non-legal word for insanity, has been recognized throughout history in every known society. Primitive cultures turned to witch doctors or shamans to apply magic, herbal mixtures, or folk medicine to rid deranged persons of evil spirits or bizarre behavior, for example. Archaeologists have unearthed skulls (at least 7000 years old) that have small round holes bored in them using flint tools. It has been conjectured that the subject may have been thought to have been possessed by devils which the holes would allow to escape. However, more recent research on the historical practice of trepanation supports the hypothesis that this procedure was medical in nature and intended as means of treating cranial trauma.
Read more about this topic: Insanity
Famous quotes containing the words historical, views and/or treatment:
“Nature never rhymes her children, nor makes two men alike. When we see a great man, we fancy a resemblance to some historical person, and predict the sequel of his character and fortune, a result which he is sure to disappoint. None will ever solve the problem of his character according to our prejudice, but only in his high unprecedented way.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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—Doris Lessing (b. 1919)
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—William Burroughs (b. 1914)