"FROM DEMONIACAL POSSESSION TO INSANITY." 
Review and Abstract of the above Chapter from Andrew 
D. White's " Warfare of Science with Theology." 
BY WARREN L. BABCOCK, M. D„ 
Second Assistant Physician, St. Lawrence State Hospital. 
After twenty-five years of study and research, Andrew D. White 
has given to the reading public, in book form, his " Warfare of 
Science with Theology," chapters of which have appeared, from 
time to time, in the Popular Science Monthly. 
No chapter in this epoch-making book will be read with more 
interest by the alienist, the sociologist, or the student of human 
nature, than that which pertains to the history of the insane. In 
brief, it is a contribution to the past and prevalent ideas regarding 
insanity, particularly the conceptions evolved by dogmatic theology 
and the growth of scientific ideas pertaining to its treatment. It 
details the long drawn but decisive battle between scientific and 
theological beliefs regarding the nature of insanity, establishes the 
complete divorcement of the subject from ecclesiasticism and sum- 
marizes the causes that led to the victory of the scientific view. 
The chapter is divided into three sections, as follows: 1. Theo- 
logical Ideas of Lunacy and its Treatment. 2. The Beginnings of 
a Healthful Scepticism. 3. The Final Struggles and Victory of 
Science. Pinel and Tuke. ' - 
At the outset it should be started that Mr. White seldom drags 
religion into his conflict. Contending that dogmatic theology is, 
in most part, responsible for this " warfare," he aims bis shafts 
almost wholly at its vulnerable points. Impartially he details the 
conflict from the earliest ages, and with great erudition brings 
together a large mass of facts to prove his argument. 
It is fitting that the evolution of beliefs regarding the mentally 
afflicted should be accorded a prominent position among the factors 
which have rescued our conceptions of the infinite from supersti- 
tion and ignorance. This fact is forcibly impressed upon the mind 
when it is remembered that the whole subject of mental and hys- 
terical manifestations was once and for long the special province of 
priests and exorcists. Believing that " madness " was but a mani- 
festation of the devil, the one afflicted was said to be " possessed " 2 
with a devil or demons. Once " possessed," the miserable individ- 
ual was made the victim of a thousand tortures devised by a fanat- 
ical clergy, whose mildest curative measure was exorcism. The 
ideas of the church regarding the insane are very exhaustively 
treated by our author in the first division of the chapter under 
review. 
' In his inimitable and characteristic style he traces the evolution 
of primitive ideas regarding lunacy from the earliest belief in evil 
spirits to the days of Pinel and Tuke. At the outset, in no uncer- 
tain tone, he places the gist of the contest clearly before the reader: 
" Of all the triumphs won by science for humanity few have been 
farther-reaching in good effects than the modern treatment of the 
insane. * * * * On one siJe have stood the survivals of vari- 
ous superstitions, the metaphysics of various philosophies, the dog- 
matism of various theologies, the literal interpretation of various 
sacred books, and especially of our own - all compacted into a 
creed that insanity is mainly or largely demoniacal possession; on 
the other side has stood science, gradually accumulating proofs that 
insanity is always the result of physical disease." 
His investigations begin with some of the oldest authentic rec- 
ords, in which he traces evidence of a belief in the diabolic agency 
of evil spirits. Assyrian mythological tablets were found to give 
formulas for casting out the evil spirits of disease. He traces the 
Hebrew conception of " demoniacal possession " to these sources, 
which antedate the Christian era by many centuries. The early 
pagan ideas regarding the insane were likewise, in all probability, 
inherited from the Orient, so that, upon one subject at least, 
pagans and Christians were in unison. 
In the early history of the insane the only bright period is found 
to hover about the life and teachings of the " father of medicine." 
With an intuition and perspicuity truly marvelous, Hippocrates 
asserted, over 2,000 years before its final adoption, that all mad- 
ness is simply disease of the brain. This great heritage to his fol- 
lowers was not destined to be lost. Mr. White takes the slender 
scientific thread, having its origin with Hippocrates, and traces it 
down through the early Christian era, the Middle Ages, and more 
recent times, until it becomes, in the hands of Pinel, a great instru- 
ment in defense of truth. This great succession in the apostolate 
of science, as White terms its course, passed through the minds of 
men more infallible than popes. Upon this register appear in 
sequence the names of Aretus, Soranus, Galen, Coelius Aurelianus 3 
Alexander of Tralles, and Paul of zEgina, all of whom advanced 
new facts in support of the scientific theory, " but, above all, laid 
stress on the cure of madness as a disease, and on the absolute 
necessity of mild treatment/' 
Passing on, he shows how the theory of demoniacal possession 
became a teaching of the church; how mild exorcisms, fetiches, and 
priestly practices were mingled in the treatment of madness with 
a polypharmacy which may well be the envy of a more modern 
age. As examples, he cites the following prescriptions, among 
others: 
" If an elf or a goblin come, smear his forehead with this salve, 
put it on his eyes, cense him with incense, and sign him frequently 
with the sign of the cross." 
"For a fiend-sick man: When a devil possesses a man, or 
controls him, from within with disease, spew-drink of lupins, bish- 
opswort, henbane, and garlic. Pound these together, add ale and 
holy-water." It will be observed that one of the ingredients of 
the above mixture survives to-day in the treatment of the insane, as 
hyoscine or hyoscyamine. 
But unfortunately, as Mr. White states, this was not the worst 
form of treatment. " The idea of satanic possession of lunatics 
led to attempts to punish the indwelling demons. The admonitions 
to gentle treatment by the great pagan and Moslem physicians 
were forgotten, and the treatment of lunatics tended more and 
more toward severity." 
The endeavors to wound Satan's pride by exorcism, as detailed 
in this chapter, savors of modern blackguardism, as seen by the 
following choice abstract: 
" Thou lustful and stupid one, * * * thou sooty spirit from 
Tartarus, * * * thou loathsome cobbler, perfidious boar, swollen 
toad, envious crocodile, etc." 
Equally ludicrous were the efforts to drive out demons by fumi- 
gation with rank drugs, such as asafcetida, sulphur, etc. 
The balance of the chapter is taken up with a discussion regard- 
ing cathedral friezes, paintings, and glass stains. Dramatization of 
the theological beliefs, with Satan and his imps as the principal 
actors, is also mentioned. 
So much for the early theological ideas of insanity and its 
treatment. It is with a feeling of relief that we pass from this 
division of the chapter to one which records the beginnings of a 
healthful scepticism. Ecclesiasticism accomplished nothing for the 4 
insane. Not a single so-called curative measure of the church 
survives to-day in the therapeutics of psychiatry. 
If Mr. White errs in his critical analysis of the theological side 
of the subject, it is on account of his condescending tolerance of 
the errors of fanaticism and ignorance. He is semi-apologetic. 
He treats lightly, if not wholly ignores, the fact that until very 
recent times, if not to-day, the church hampers science in many 
ways. Witness the support it gives to anti-vivisectionists; note 
how it taboos the anti-toxin theory; and observe how denomi- 
national universities refuse the admission of certain scientific and 
sociological studies to their curriculum. 
Mr. White's observations and studies lead him to believe that 
beginnings of a healthful scepticism had a very early date. Its 
conception was found to be of unknown origin, although some 
evidence in the form of isolated myths go to support the assump- 
tion that the insane, at a very early period, were believed to be 
irresponsible by a few thinkers. Little evidence of the scientific 
spirit is apparent, however, until the Hippocratic epoch. Indeed, 
its inception, historically speaking, arose from the teachings of the 
" father of medicine," and its direct transmission through a line of 
ancient students of the mind has already been mentioned. Un- 
fortunately for psychiatry, it needs be recorded that this scientific 
wave reached its height and began to recede with the decay of 
Rome. Not until the revival of learning, as Mr. White shows, did 
the scientific spirit again become manifest. From the hands of the 
disciples of Galen and his co-workers the care and treatment of the 
insane passed into the province of the church. Thereafter, for a 
thousand years, all evidence of a scientific belief is obscured by 
superstition and myth. But it never died out, though at times it 
appeared extinct. Confronted by the inquisition, belief in witch- 
craft, and the direct agency of Satan, political and papal wars, and 
the dense ignorance of the masses, the flame flickered and burned 
low. 
Yet all opposition did not come from the established church. 
Mr. White justly brings to light the despicable course of a small 
quota of physicians who wielded much influence and opposed the 
scientific spirit for mercenary reasons. 
On the contrary, our author finds that here and there in the 
church, upholders of the scientific theory were to be found, though 
they were few and their efforts weak. 
Throughout this section Mr. White deals with such divisions of 5 
his subject as " exaltation to sainthood of hysterical individuals 
imbued with the spirit of reverence and prophecy," " persecution 
of hallucinatory cases," particularly those who believed themselves 
to be the "Son of God," etc., "epidemics of hysteria," "the influ- 
ence of Bossuet," and, lastly, " persecution of those who supported 
and taught the scientific aspects of lunacy, such as Flade, Corne- 
lius Agrippa, Weir, Loos, Bekker, Thomasius, and others." 
Passing into the third and last division of the chapter we find 
pages that shine with the lustrous achievements of science. The 
first laurels rest with French scepticism. Persons condemned to 
death for sorcery by the Parliament of Rouen, during the reign of 
Louis XIV, were finally ordered, by Colbert, his minister, to be 
treated for their insanity. 
Mr. White's researches into English psychiatry lead him to 
believe that the theological view of " demoniacal possession " clung 
longer to the clergy in Great Britain than in France or Germany. 
As great and good a man as John Wesley protested, in the last 
century, against " giving up to infidels such proofs of an invisible 
world as are to be found in diabolic possession." But the scientific 
view that madness was simply a disease of the brain steadily grew, 
and toward the close of the eighteenth century is found shoulder 
to shoulder with the older French teachings. Wesley lived to see 
his ideas refuted and science triumphant. 
To Germany White gives the credit of first demonstrating to the 
world that insanity is due to organic disease. By means of post- 
mortem examinations of deceased "possessed" persons, German 
scientists found evidence of gross changes in the cerebrum. To 
quote our author, " the work of German men of science in this 
field is noble indeed; a great succession from Weir to Virchow 
have erected a barrier against which all the efforts of reactionists 
beat in vain." 
Very gratifying to Americans is the contemplation that "the 
first humane impulse of any considerable importance in this field 
seems to have been aroused in America. In the year 1751 the Society 
of Friends founded a small hospital for the insane on better principles 
in Pennsylvania. To use the language of the founders, it was 
intended as ' a good work, acceptable to God."' 
Toward the close of the eighteenth century Pinel appears, and 
to the prisoners in the Bicetre, darkness and chains give way to 
light and gentleness. Mr. White rehearses with much impressive- 
ness the innovations introduced by him, details the opposition he 6 
met with and the results obtained by the new methods of treatment. 
His career is familiar to every student of psychiatry and need not 
be dwelt upon. 
The work of William Tuke in England is also cited and the foun- 
dation of "York Retreat " mentioned. Independently of Pinel he 
worked Gut this great problem, and goes down in history as the first 
real benefactor of the insane in Great Britain. 
With Tuke Mr. White closes the chapter somewhat abruptly. It 
is to be regretted that he did not continue his researches down to 
more recent times, or until psychiatry had more completely shaken 
off the shackles of dogmatic theology. But he has arrayed a suffi- 
cient mass of facts to prove his argument. The battle between the 
adherents of " demoniacal possession " and the scientists was made 
decisive by Pinel and Tuke. Only the redoubts remained to be 
taken by their followers. 
To students of psychiatry Mr. White's researches will be of great 
ultimate benefit. Many facts hitherto obscured have been cleared 
up and much new material added to its literature. Alienists are 
henceforth his debtors.