On the Curability of Certain Forms of Insanity, Epilepsy, Catalepsy, and Hysteria in Females

In the mid‑nineteenth century, a senior surgeon at London’s Surgical Home turned his attention to a puzzling group of nervous ailments that afflicted many women—conditions he labeled hysteria, epilepsy, catalepsy, and other forms of “insanity.” Drawing on recent lectures by the renowned physiologist Dr. Brown‑Séquard, he proposed that persistent irritation of the pudendal nerve could be the hidden trigger behind these disorders. The book opens with a clear statement of purpose: to share the results of a series of operations designed to remove that peripheral excitement and restore normal nerve tone.

Through a collection of cases drawn from the open wards of the London Surgical Home, the author describes the surgical technique, the criteria for selecting patients, and the outcomes he observed. He cites both successes and the limits of his approach, inviting fellow physicians to try the method in their own practices. The narrative balances technical detail with reflective commentary, offering a window into Victorian medical thinking and an early attempt to link anatomy with mental health.