Benjamin Rush was one of the founders of American psychiatry. His assorted treatment practices, circa the 18th century, included __________.

A) twirling patients on special devices at speeds that rendered them unconscious
B) submerging patients in hot or cold water until they almost drowned
C) making patients retain their feces for as long as a month
D) both a and b

Benjamin Rush's treatment practices included twirling patients on a special device called a spinning wheel until they lost consciousness, and submerging patients in hot or cold water until they almost drowned. Rush believed that these practices would restore balance to the body and mind. He also advocated for the use of purges, bloodletting, and other harsh treatments, but later in his career, he began to recognize the importance of moral and psychological factors in mental health.