Detoxication in psychiatric disorders.

It has been thought since the early days of medical practice that the liver and gastro-intestinal tract play a very important role in the pathogenesis of mental disorders. References to this belief may be found in the literature of the classical ages. Indeed, one of the principle symptoms of mental disorder, melancholia, derives its name from the Greek word ,”melagkholia”, which means “black” (melas) “bile” (khole). In the fourth century B.C. Hippocrates expressed the belief that bile was the cause of madness. A sudden flux of bile to the brain was thought to bring on unpleasant dreams and feelings of anxiety; a superabundance of black bile caused melancholia. Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C.) formulated a similar hypothesis. He believed that the soul was unable to function without warmth. Black bile was merely the carrier of heat and cold; moderate coldness led to vertigo, apprehensiveness, or a state of being stunned. Coldness led to cowardice and stupidity, warmth caused gaiety and free joy, while great heat was associated with amorous desires and cleverness. [...