Daily gazette and comet. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1856-186?, 1860-11-07
QaiIp G3ettr ano Comet
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II INSANITY CONTAGIOUS Y--5ev.
sral members Of u family affected with
insanity (says NJ. Baillarger,) and
whose symptoms are exactly the same
ave occasionly brought 10 asylums on
the same day, IN questioning one Of
these patients, We may anticipate on
what point the other IL insane ne,
II we make some inquiries, we proba.
bly, learn that both patients were not
affected Of the same time, but that
one had been affected some months
previous 10, and had communicated
the disease by degrees TO the other. --
Thus, NJ Baillarger has known do.
lifium transmitted from mother 20
daughter, aud from mother to son.
Niue. p--.--and her daughter
we're admitted 10 La Sslpetriere At
the came time. both we're mutually
convinced that tboir food was poison
cd that they were followed on the
streets aud that squsfortis, 80, were
thrown upon them, which ethaled
poisonous fumes around them.
The second example 10 still more
curious Mme. ", aremafkably
intelligent woman, much respected by
her two sons, the elder Of whom was
twenty years Of age, became ceissd
with singular madness, She ina
giped that she was a somnambulist,
and tha. often during the night her
husband made her give consultations,
Of which she had no recollection on
waking. She supposed that he gain
cd In this way large sums, aud was
constantly demanding this money from
him,
without enlargipg on all tho rea.
sons che advanced in support Of such
notion, u will be sufficient 90 say, that
by degrees abe impaired her IDEAS TO
her eldest son, who, although no did
not live with her, saw her almost
every day, az, on quitting his work,
he was obliged TO pass par, Of the
night at home. The accusations Of
his mother excited him. lie had
some very violent discussions with
his father, aud even went TO the au.
thorities to inform against him. In
sanity then became 40 evident, that
tho patient, who had just beon iulist.
cd. was rejected on account Of mont
al alienation.
This young man and tho girl p
both recovered.
Both have explained how the alb.
solute confidence which they had In
their mother exercised something like
a fascination over them. They do.
clared that, far from suspeciiug aud
defect In their reasoning faculties,
they were on the contrary, led away
by their convictions.
NJ. X---has acknowledged that
under tho influence Of tho constant
quarrols arising from the unsupported
Insanity Of his mother, by work or
want OF sleep, his mind was aRita,ed
aud that no was then Impressed with
the ideas which no now stated, as
constituting his insanity.
There arc at present in La Sal
petricre two sistcra. who were
brought on tho same day, with OK
actly the same symptoms of insani.
~. The elder isa widow, the young.
ar il married. Tho former imagin.
ed that her brother in.law wished TO
poison her; and she persuaded her
sister, who lived with her, into the
same belief. To guard against the
elects of the poison, the patients
act TO drinking brandy, and IL was
from this time their insanity became
more and moro pronounced, The
younger who was under the care of
NJ. Baillargor, admitted that up TO
this time her husband had been
very kind to her and that, during
the eight years they had been mar
ried, she had no cause 10 complain
Of him; but she is not the less con
WINGED that he has made more than
a hundred attempts TO poison her.
In another instance, NJ. Baillarg.
or has known the husband become
insane under the influence and by
the effect of the annoyance which
his wife inflicted on him. What is
very strange in this case is, that
the woman, no doubt of a superior
intelligence TO her husband, had
driven him mad by communicating
to him the idea upon which she was
herself insane, aud actually had