On insanity and its classification

Aside from containing a thorough review of past and contemporary psychiatric principles, Chiarugi's treatise is the expression of the mind of an unusual man who had the opportunity to observe in an ideal setting the behaviour of patients in developing his diagnostic and therapeutic skills. This work, first published in 1793-94, reflects the insightfulness of his clinical judgement, based on the wealth of data at his disposal, to which are added the descriptions of 100 cases, many of which were controlled by autopsies.