The New York herald., 1871-11-09
THE BoNARD WILL. CASE.

Medical Experts Discussing tho Pythagoreau
Philosophy-8onard Classcd with Pytha.
goras, Plato, Ovid, Montaigno and Other
Ancient Disscnters-InterestinG Testimony.
The Bonard will case was resumed yesterday be-
fore Surrogate Hutchings.
The first witness called was DR.. Clymer, who testk
ned thai he has been physician over seven years;
he was attending physician to the Philadelphia
Hosptal ne devoted himself exclusively to
nervous diseases; has given much attention
to the subject OF insanity, and has read
many works on that subject; Is acquainted
with bronchial pneumonia: one OF the principal
symptoms OF the disease Is anxiety on the part OF
the patient about his condition; death, when 1t en-
sues from this disease, results from injury Of the
lungs; think 1t very likely that man sunering
from bronchial pneumonia would get up at night in
his room, walk about and betray his disease BY ex-
CARNATIONS.
O. What do you understand by an insane delu.
sion9 A. A false illusion.
Q. Give an illustration OF deusion. A. Iwlll
mention case which happened to me very re-
Gently; 1t was the case OF lady who was OF IN
sound mind; she had an impression that her daugh-
ter was possessed by the devil, who took ~ form
OF various young men.
@. Would the expression of belief by any adult
OF the hum&a species at variance with that COM
monty entertained by his fellow beings be an lndi
cation Of irrationalityf A. Not necessarily.
@. Suppose man over sixty years OF age should
express opinion that the soul Of man after death
passes into the body OF an animal without however.
referring to his own soul: and suppose the opin on
was expressed by him ten years previous to his
death, and not within those ten years, would you
consider that belief, assuming II to be delusloD to
continue 20 the time OF his dea;hf A. There Is a
Q. Doctor, in the course Of your. professional
study, have you had occasion to study the subject
m
Q. Give your views on the subjecti A. The doc
trne Of the transmgration Of souls appears TO have
known as the doctrine OF PytnaRoras; 1t was Hrst
expressed py tho Egyptians, and was their form OF
trine was held BY the Druids both in France and
Britain; II was supposed that Pythagoras derived
SOs Il in Esyp.; Il is found among some some ' Of the he
early fathers OF the Church, among others Origen,
n hs 70 nna II me
and in modern times it is held by Fourier, In
Q: Would you consider person who entertained
such . belief irrationals A. Not necessarily, and
for this reason, that It. Is belief which has been
2. Name some Of the prominent men VINO enter
tanned this belief and who were always considered
rational? A. have already mentioned PythagO-
ras, and there were thousands OF his followers:
Plato also held the belief; Ovid too alludes TO 1t as
cruety 70 Animals expresses his belief in the same
doctrine; the doctrine OF metempsychosis was
very strongly , held ED by the Jews; u seems 70 have
the soul and 10 be an expression Of that doctrine.
Cross examined by Mr.. COudert-T found EVIL
dences OF insanity IN Plato and other authors who
have In their works expressed belief In this doc
trne.
Q. Is ft not at times dincult to draw the line be-
tween belief aud delusions A. The question is
somewhat general one; II Is so much OF relative
and not Of positive character that cannot answer
t; 1t IS not the number OF votaries TO belief that
would make me consider t delusion
z. DO you believe In the transmgratlon OF souls
A. do not.
Q. What Is your belicfg A. I am q Christian.
O. Have you In your experience ever known a
person who believed that the soul OF an adult OF the
human species as my learned fliend expressed II,
passed into the body OF dog. monkey or catf
A. No.
Q. suppose man OF large estate living In cheap
boarding house IN the poorest quarter Of the city,
man DO was IN the habit OF utiering unnelligtble
excamations AZ night and who made two wills
within u short time before his death, would you
consider such u man RATIONALE A. There would he
nothing necessarily In those circumstances 10 prove
irrationallty.
q. suppose person. under such a belief as
metempsychosls, and possessed OF large estate,
should leave his property to society for the pre-
ycntlon Of cruelty to animals, would you consider
him irratonalY A. NO.
Further hearing adjourned.