Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-07-15
PROCEEDINGS TO-DAY.
THE QUESTION OF INSANITY.

morning, when there was quite NUMBER Of
spectators present, including sprinkling o.
ladies. The new Marshal, Judge Gooding, anC
his assistants, use every endeayor to accommo
date the ladies and spectators, reserying the
seats inside the rail as much as possible for the
members of the bar, The press, and the ladies
The jury came INTO court about 10 O'Clock
looking rluch refreshed. and the prisoner en-.
tered shortly after, accompanied by her coun.
sci and several lady friends.
Or. J. II. Nay, who was on the stand yester.
day, and whose examinations in-chief was
closed was put on the stand for cross-eXami-
nation.
Witness stated upon the hypothetical state
ment made yesterday he could not consider it a
case of insanity under the strict acceptation OF
the term. Witness considered that all the forms
of insanity were comprehended under mama,
1nonomahia, dememsia, and idiocy. The intel
iect is affected under any of these forms. Moral
insanity is embraced under either of the forms
named except idiocy: Disappointment IN love
is set down as one of the powerful causes of
moral insanity. Witness could not recollect a
case where he could trace insanity to dysmen-
with persons inclined to insanity would tend
to produce it. Paroxysmal insanity is disease
for medical treatment. Witness considers hys.
terra as disease emanating from the uterus,
but ii affects secondarily the brain. Some
physicians take the reverse view, and consider
that it emanates from the brain. Witness does
not consider that hysteria comes under the
form of mania. Witness has seen cases of hys-
terra where the disease controlled the will
affecting the brain secondarily.
Mr.. Bradley stated hypothetical case, Civ
ing the theory OF this defense, with all the facts
and incidents in the life of the accused from
her childhood to the present time, including
her conduct, condition and conversations since
she has been in prison, and asked if witness
thought she had been at any time down to the
present subject to paroxysmal insanity.
Witness had no hesitation in stating that the
patient labOred under a deranged intellect,
paroxysmally deranged, produced by moral
causes, and increased or assisted by derange-
ment of the uterus.
BY Mr.. Carrington.-Witness thought 4 pa
tent eyinclng the symptoms as detailed by
Mr.. Bradley, and who committed the act de-
tailed by him. labored at the time under par
oxyslnal insanity. Witness, from all the facts,
would consider it TO be the act Of q person
laboring under mental arrangement.
FIR. Darlington asked upon the facts rs de-
tailed by MIR. Bradley in connection with the
facts detailed by himself yesterday what
would be his opinion as the condition of the
mind OF the prisoner at the time the act was
committed.
The defense objected, and Judge Wylie sus-
tanned the objection.
Witness formed his opinion from union of
all the facts, stated by Mr.. Bradley. Wit
ness could not give an opinion on partial
statement. Witness referred to the symptoms
of mental disease, such as melan choly, when
connected with her previous cheerfulness of
disposition. He based his opinion on the con-
duct of the accused after the homicide, and her
contradictory statements, with her physical
condition, high pulse, dilated pupil her insen-
Sibiiity to cold, &c.
Ds'. Noble 1oung sworn.-Witness is the ply
slclon TO the jail. and saw the prisoner gem
orally every day, but never saw any indica-
ton OF insanity in any form. She was suffer-
ing with her periodical sickness from about
the 10th TO the 10Th OF June.
BY Mr.. Bradley :-Witness does not think he
ever examined her pulse except when she was
labolIng under erisypelas.
Or. Nm. Il. johnson, sworn.-Witness has
been physician for about p years, and has
had considerable experience in disc of fe-
III Cn,tr-
symptoms, affects the nervous system, and fire.
quently the mental faculties. 1t soon goes off
and III this it differs from lunacy. Dysnen-
norrhpa is painful mensruation. and ire
quently leads to commissions, and sometimes
affects the mental faculties. During these par
oxysms the mind is not usually impaired, but
yous, inpressionable and sensitive, and liable
more or less to severe returns of the wonted
paroXySm.
Mr. Wilson stated the hypothetical case re.
lating the incidents in the case, and asked the
same question propounded to Dr. May yester-
Mr.. Hughes object ed. saving that the witness
had privileges, and he read from Crays Medi-
al jurisprudence, pag e $50, as to the duties of
medical men when on the witness stand
After argument. the question was modified
Witness stated that the prisoner if suffering
Win dysmennorhoea, and being very impress
slonable At the time she met him, M ght have
given way. If q female Were brooding over a
1ancied wrong, and she saw the person whom
she supposed had wronged her, an impulse
might seize her. Hysterical patients of this
kind might adopt an idea and mediate unon
it-there is after all between histerea and in
sanity no line of demarkation
BY Mr.. Bradley.-There are numerous in
tahces where the patients laboring under hys-
terra have been unable to resist the impulses
coming upon them. A departure from the
natural character and disposition is SYMPTOM
that the mind is not in 4 healthy condition A
case ORIGINALITY hysteriCal may become a case of
insanity.
AT this point 4 recess was taken.