[Insanity and suicide, as described in the "Okuni-nikki (Diaries of our clan)" of the Hirosaki Clan Government].

Abstract

The "Okuni-nikki (Diaries of our Clan)" of the Hirosaki Clan Government covers the years 1661-1867. Akitomo Matsuki and Yōichi Hanada picked up medical topics from these diaries, and edited them in two volumes of "Tsugaru-ijibunka-shiryōshūsei: Okuni-nikki" (1993, 1994). I selected cases of insanity and suicide from these volumes. Selected were (1) 12 cases of insanity (in its wider sense) (5 cases of insanity, 2 cases of depression, a case of mania, a case of hypochondriasis, a case of epilepsy, a case of pavor nocturnus, and a case of insomnia), (2) 16 cases of suicide and self injury, cased by insanity (in its wider sense) (11 cases of suicide, a case of suicide and injuring another person, a case of attempted suicide, 2 cases of lovers' attempted suicide, and a case of self injury; 8 cases of them were caused by insanity), (3) 3 cases of killing and injuring others, caused by insanity (a case of killing another person, and 2 cases of injuring others), (4) a drunk case of injuring another person, and (5) 13 cases of suicide and self injury, without description of insanity (9 cases of suicide, 2 cases of attempted suicide, a case of lovers' suicide, and a case of penis cutting off). There were no described cases of possession or alcoholism. In the Edo Era, in several provinces and clans had legal procedure to confine insane patients. As for the Hirosaki Clan, I could not find clues to suggest the existence of such legal or customary procedures.