The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-03-18
From SiIlIman's Journal.
CASES OF DELIRluM.
Facts ILLUSTRATIVE Of Tie Po1cers and OPP
Grafton Of The Human Mind in Diseas.
ed state.


ed state.
Some years ago a farmer of fair char
acter, who resided in an interior town in
New England, sold his farm with the in
lenlion of purchasing another in a differ
ent town. His mind was naturally of
melancholy cast Shortly after the sale
Of his farm, he was induced to believe
that he had sold it for less than its value.
This persuasion brought on d'ssatisfac-
ton and evidently considerable degree
Of melancholy. In this situation, one of
his neighbors engaged him to enclose
lot OF land, with post and rail fence
which he was TO commence making the
next day. AT the time appointed, he went
into the field and began with beetle and
wedges to split the timber out of which
the posts and rails we're to be prepared
On finishing his days work, he put his
beetle anG wedges into hollow tree. and
went home. Two of his sons had been
at work through the day in distant part
of the same field. On his return, he di-
recled him to get up carly the next NOR
ming, and assist him in making the fence.
In the course Of the evening he became
dellrious, and continued in this situation
several years: when his mental powers
were suddenly restored. The first ques-
ton which he asked after the return of
reason, was whether lis sons had brought
in the beetle and wedges. He appeared
to be total y unconscious of the time that
had elapsed from the commencement of
the delirium. His sons, apprehensive
that any explanation might induce a re-
turn Of his disease, simply replied that
they had been unable to find them. He
Immediately rose from his bed, went to
the field where he had been at work a
number Of years before and found the
wedges and the rings of the beetle. were
he had left them, the beetle itself having
moulded away. During his delirum his
mind had not been occupied with those
subjects with which it was convcrsant in
health.
Mrs. Smith, an intelligent lady, be.
longing to respectable family in New
York, some years ago undertook a piece
of fine needle work. She devoted her
time TO 1t almost constantly, fcra number
of day Before she had accomplished
ii, she became suddenly deirions. In
this state, without experiencing any abate-
ment in the disease. she continued for
about seven wears, when her reason was
suddenly restored. One of The first ques-
tons she asked after her reason returned.
related to her needle work. II is a re-
kable fact, that during the long con-
linuance of her delirium. she SAID nothing.
as far as recollected, about her needle
work, or concerning any subjects which
usually occupied her attention while in
health.
A lady in New England, of respecta-
BILE family, was, for considerable period
subject to paroxysms of delirium. These
came on instanlaneousy, and after conlin-
uing an indefinite time, went off as sud
denlg, leaving her mind perfectly rational.
1t often happened that when she was en-
gagged in rational and interesting CONVEX
salion, she would stop short in the midst
of it, and become in a moment entirely
Gellrlous, and commence conversation on
some other subject, not having the remot-
est connection with the preceding one,
nor would she advert to it during her de-
Irum. When she became rational again,
she would pursue the same CONVEX alton
in which she had been engaged during the
luced interval, beginning where she had
left off To such degree was this car
ried, that she would complete an unfnish-
ed story, or sentence or word.
When her next delrious paroxvsm
came on, she would continue the con-
versaion which she had been pursuing in
preceding paroxysm; so that she appear
ed as person might be supposed to be
who had two souls each occasionally
dormant and occasionally active, and ut
terly Ignorant of what the other was doing
The legislature of Maryland has pas