The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-08

which would secure at least patient I'm ~ %
vesteatons conducted by men 81 Recent IL,
be goone1sp9 tbat S 0SserXatoh have led 70
geer nentai prostrdto but onooes N pSs aSs sy ony
msiady some@es coe4ss With Ana Fssss ss,nogEh the
but indente period aerwSEl66s DTE6s the the attack
perfect use Of his faculties" Du' an im'
entirely Suspended during the attacks Az sDlsyy,
disease had no criminal ntenose ioe ssghi snS Of his
SPon nSSr RRS scSyd al i s sC
u, ms which they may comm Immediately befofe:it
that whether these attacks occur frequently or raFeyg
he srae Of n h disease wbr M M
ing, and where the attacks occur at brief Intervals
sponsibiiity, even where nothing Is Observed whch
expressly characterzes alteration OF the mental
ut is not advisable to execute sentence Of punish
the case to the examination Of a duly authorized
"Piatner denies the responsibility of any eplieptic
whatever. Clarus maintains the following PROPOSE
~. All actions and omissions which take place
during the paroxysm OF epilepsy are neither valid
"2. When the attack Of habtual epilepsy is sue
feeded % by or aeTnshes WITH state d OF mania % OF Inn
this latter state is but transitory because human
insight or experience can decide with certainly
whether the patient az that particular Instant was in
"S swooning heaviness of the head, weakness of
}o 1 Fss6y SS
the responsibility the validity of acts committed
during their continuance. ..,,- -,.,--
in the intervals Of their attacks betray symptoms Of
faults should be regarded as eects Of the disease and
that they should be held responsible for acts COM
such condition should operate In mitigation where
the crime presupposes forecastand reflection.
5, Where the signs of an altered state of mind are
wanting both before and after the attacks the posi-
because of their mnuteness and that patients of this
description are less able 70 resist sudden impulses
mitigation Of punishment for actions Of violent pas
sion, but not for those involving reflection.
q, those apply idtODathiC
and habtual epilepsy" -
Medical Jurisprudence' gives an extract from por:
tions OF 'Delsssaure on Epilepsy TO which we would
words o..,...s. -, ...o,o.,, 81. ,,.o..o
in itself and It's mental consequences, the expert
cannot examine too carefully the circumstances
which attend the crime, the form under which II is
complshed. the motives which may have governed
Of defense, etc We notice in almost ali the cases re-
ported, In the public papers and judiciary debates,
make us doubt. from the first II they emanated from
with regard to the execution of the Decd ordinary
criminals use all due precautions against discovery
acted under the impulse of an epleptlc attack More
morality Of their actions they axe but feeble efforts
at concealment There are those who abandon them
without hesitation gloang over their Bodies and lar
seem often to find in them new cause for excite
ment, ,,.uouous 81 o.-ou,. .,
this contempt OF danger are when found united the
best proofs of the absence OF moral liberty. All
criminal act the suspicion OF mental disorder and
he adds this suspicion increased in absence of any
This epileptc susceptibility does not serve as q
cen them dgSy rect Play Lay and foster the idea
scenes of Vndicveness and brutailty otherwise
ineXplicable arise from this cause in lums.
b Sns in e to HSPy % which m may arise during
wiSeiy Observed that certain sensorai impTessieGs
OF nature owing to the bias which they parted
an e. F1E n
upon himself, or the imagined necessity Of RiiIins
others. a young man under the influence of his
place, and supposed II designed for his destruction
tached sinister impression, had been capable of
awakening series OF analogous conceptions. Who is
sngularities of the initiative faculty? Who has
affair, the recital of NJ urder of an incendiarism
or Of suicide lead In predisposed organizations to
THE necessity of more extended information on this
Instances are not wanting Were Justice Sas ysted t
wi h unmeTited punishment those who have unhap-
some. cases the proofs are sufficiently evident to
a b 81 easy 2Sygv In Others on the con
more uncertain nc IL Is here that wisdom in the Judge
"a shoemaker was subject to severe epeptic fits
and was often furious for while Immediately after
and industrious.
"one day, when IN the gloomy and morose state of
mind that often foretels attack of epileptic fits he
met the Superintendent OF the Asylum and stabbed
weeks. In such cases, as indeed in the above case
there often sudden and vivid temporary hallucl.
By Henry Massby NJ Toadon 1897 Oias Page no soe
On page 1873 the following language is used:-
I'm what is described tralStOld, it sOme-
times happens that Individual falls with great sud
denness into violent fury, in which. perhaps he
tendencies HIS face is flushed, his head hot, and !
there is plainly an active determination of blood to
the BRAIN After short Time the attack subsidies, |
ana tne man Is himself again, scarcely conscious OF
In this connecnon we beg to call your Excellencys
celebrating the law upon that subject. calling
your attention to more than two or three of the |
Wharton Stlle, Med. Jurs book l, sections SO 10
John Freeth's case same book. Note on page 46;
Commonwealth vs. Mosler; Barr, 266.
In this last case the eminent Chlef Justice Gibson
recognizes the existence of this disease and
of 1t as 'an unseen hgament pressing the mind,
drawing to consequences which IL sees, but cannot
Greensmith's case. Taylor's Med Jurs page 5l3
This is somewhat remarkable case, OF a father who
the prison In several important particulars. espe-
cially in these wiz
In the absence ofexcement attending the crime
or its consequences.
believe all of them) had never observed the
slightest indications or insanity about him,
man, he having had grandmother and another rea-
tive who had been insane.
In his conviction and sentence to death, Green
smith. through the charitable interference of some
intelligent physicians. repreved respited
May we not hope that in this particular his case may
Greensmith was tried in the year 1887 in Midland
Circuit England (See Aedico ChhuTgicdL ReUietU,
2 All the evidence In the cause upon both sides
shows That the prisoner upon that fatal afternoon,
any Indication in manner looks or conduct of guilt
quiet citizen in the undisurbed pursuit OF his
o beh eoSeyd bronsb Sis S
the excitement Of his trial. and remains with him to
aongp inuOpaucpt q act mi