The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-11-13
Instances Of Monomsn,n.


Instances Of Monomania.
or all the calamities with " vLich il has pleased
an inscru'sbs Providence to ai5lict HI. creatures
mat of nonomanla--or madness on one point on.
ly-is the most remarkable and most wonderful
hnd to the curious observer, the most interesting
he causes that induce this most distressing most
Pillabe lnhrmity, nre malti,udious. In many in.
stances It alRes from an impure state Of the
blood, which disordering the brain. coniures up
some strange phanasy, some wild belief until
either by the body % purgaton, or falling into the
humor Of the patient anil curing him of cheat
a reaction, or falling into the bumor of the pa
tien, and the mind restored to bea;hful tone
TIE BLUE DOG.
The most singular instance Of this nature on
record is that Of a medical practitioner, narrated in
the diary Of a physician, who upon one occasion
in the pursuit Of bis duties, heard behind him dis
tinctly the yat pat ola dogs Footsteps, Upon
turning round he saw large New Foundland
dog perfectly blue which continued to follow
him. Anxious to escape it. he hailed n stage
than passing, and got in. He was much aston
l-hed, however, to find the dog at lis feet star
ing up in his face. He apologzed to a lady op
rosite for the the dogs Intrusion, but she saw no
dog; yet to him il was as pslpable rs herself
He went home, the deg followed He went to
bed, and though, he had got rid Of it; but he felt
-om-,lng jump on his bed--it was the dog dis
tinct MS It had been in the day time Fortunate.
ly lie was aware Of the nature Of this disease, and
forbore to alarm his wife although the ghastly
creature kept hm awake all nigh. With coures
ot medicine the phantom departed
| THE NossTEous SosR
There are other Instances extabt of more In.
dlcrous nature. One Of a man who imagined that
his nose WAS daily growing to an uwful extent;
and wa. much alarmed lest it should exceed the
size Of his body and pin him to the earth
Whilst lsburlng under this strange hallucna.
tion lie went 10 church, and at the service he de.
cl"red Ihat his proboscis had enlarged 70 tre-
Imendously during the sermon that he could not
get through the pew door. His physician was
sent Tor who instead Of vainly endcavoriny to
laush Inn out of his conceit. wisely humored it,
lie got pal oi water, and placed it at the pa
tents feet; then he tied handkerchief over his
eyes. and taking Lis lance punctured his nose I'LL
it bled, upon which drogpil, a iarge piece of
raw meat lac had provided into the water, h. re
moved the bandnge, and exclaimed, "it is OFF,
"Ah said the patient 1T is something like now
and Immediately proceeded home.
| This cure must be ascribed TO the force Of i'm
Imagination, by which indeed many most wonder.
ful cures are performed. By this it is that so
u,aton and been foolishy run after. They in
spire confidence in the patient they cngtmer a
belief Of their skill and thereby do sometimes
perform cures where regular Practlonery
would fail,
The MAN WHO SWALLOWED cobBIER
Another curious instance Of its might, we will
relate. young theological student IN England
lodged overs cobbler stall. Ihs cubbler was
As all coOo!ers are and have been from time mem.
oral, jolly fellow, and whlled away the hours
oi labor continually with songs. The student, af.
ter some time, removed his lodging but no sooner
did ho gam Ills new apartment than he was sa.
luied oy the burden OF the old song which eman.
ated he declared, from his stomach where hs re-.
lgously believed the cobbler had gone, aud was
pursuing his usual ayocsti1n with hs aterua mel.
lody.
, lhe physician cured this patient by giving him
strong .nelic, which was to dIsgorgy the cob.
oier' lhc students eyes were blinded, the cob.
oer introduced; when the vomiting was wrought
the bandage removed, and the student saw ms
! Old Toe tetreatIng from the room. lie was quite
, satisfied, and the music annoyed him no more.
The MAN Win GLASS LEGs.
, must instance another case Of monomania
where the cure was affected as cures rarely are
} without deceNlns the patient.
4
tainsu the belief that his legs were made Of glass
lie al them constantly swarthed in flannel to
preven, hem from beng injured by any accident
and was tru' y miserable, lest, by some unforeseen
circumstance, they should get broken. lie IA,
before the fire. from whence he only removed or
rather was remoy, Il 20 his bed at night Ven.
ture into the street he ,,ars not and all who ap.
preached him he pi,iously culreated to keep clear
Of his legs.
One day his servant, blum matter OF fact ssrt
OF girl, who made no allowance for his malady
and had no patience with his whiLns--came IN 10
light the hire, and threw down qus,iity OF kind
ling wood close to his side
Good God J. cried the the invalid do you
want to murder me ei-my legs my legs
THAT for your legs p cried the provoked gil,
taking decen, size clump Of wood aud throwing
1t with no incosderabe force at the part The
pam was excessive, and the individual got up to
infiict punishment on the jade. lie pursued her
some distance, but before he gained her, hs made
the important discovery that his legs were not
made OF any such brittle material.
BuRiIp ALivE.
Perhaps the most general cause Of monomania
may be correctly attributed to ths abuse Of ~.
leion.
1t is not long since that a religious madness
eutVleu Haitleu man, WIN VIE anu large
family in aineighboring state. AT one time no
was going to offer them all up as sacrifice and
they with the utmost difficulty escaped. He con.
tnued in this state u long time, sometimes bet
ter, sometimes worse but when effected always
harp,ng on religious subjects. AT last he told
his friends, in the most rational manner magma
BILE, that the cure Of his mslady had been reveal.
ed to him. which was, that hc should DO buried
for short time. and then he would be perfectly
cured. Rather fearing to oppose him than hop
ing for any good result from the experiment, his
friends dug grave 1t was very cold and snow.
ing at the time, yet he undrsssed, and wrapped
himself in sheet got in and had it all covered up
save his head, lie told those around hin that he
must lie there three hours aud begged them to
bo very particular as to the time. He continued
to converse very nationally, and at the expiration
OF tho three hours he got up aud dressed himself
lie then said that he was tho Lord Jesus that he
had been dead aud buried three days and three
nights, and that now hc had risen again. He call
ed his children and said they wers his disciples,
and began To wash their feet. He was then
placed under restraint, but ultimately committed
suicide.
Miss Mary Ann Wheeler, who shot John Lace
u lsconsln, last week, has been examined, and
stands committed " take her tlul for murder.