New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-22

between mono Of these various disor-
ders ia the connection closer than be-
tween epilepsy and homicidal mama.
. The most desperate examples of hOmcldal
"impuIses.r says DR.. Maudsley, care I'M
"doubtedly met with in connection with
"epepsy. Sometimes an attack of mania
"notaby precedes an epleptic fit or series
"of epileptic fits; but it is not so clearly
understood that the mental arrangement 80
occurring may have the form of profound
"moral disturbance with homicdal propensity
The epileptic neurosis may exist for a long
time in a masked form, and then develop 1t
self. not in COMMISSIONS but in some sudden
act of unreasonable violence, and DR.. Maudsley
has observed that whom it shows itself as
insanity, the insanity usually takes the form
of deeds rather than words-it is an insanity
of action rather than of thought. SO commonly
indeed does suppressed epilepsy develop itself
as homicdal mania, that the same eminent
authority declares that "whcnever a murder
" has been committed suddenly. without pre-
meditation, without malice, without motive,
openly, and in way quite different from the
sway in which murders are commonly done,
." we ought TO look carefully for evidence OF
previous epilepsy, and, should there have
81 been no epileptiC fits for evidence OF an
" aura epAeptica and other symptoms allied to
epilepsy" It cannot be said as yet that the
whole series of murders attributed to Mrs.
Wharton were committed without apparent
malice and without motive; but no motive has
been suggested to account for most of them,
ond, so far as oar present information extends
there has been no reason to believe in The
existence of any malice.
The frequency of homcidal mania in women
is a startling phenomenon which possibly calls
for other than exclusively, physiological eXpa-
nations The London nurse-maid, Agnes Nor
man, who is now awaiting trial for the murder
or attempted murder of children committed to
her care, ia no doubt victim OF this disorder
She seems to have exercised the homicidal
propensity during several years and in several
families, without the slightest motives and the
impulse with her was 80 strong that when
there were no children TO strange she de-
strOyed pet animals. A female nurse in hos
pital on the continent was convicted year or
two ago Of killing the patients in her ward
She confessed the murder of a great number,
for no reason whatever except the gratlilcation
Of morbid curiosity to witness the death
agony. Several remarkable cases of this dread
full mania are quoted by Dr. Elan in his
interesting volume, entitled "a Physicians
"Problcms,r and there is one very much like
that of Agnes Norman except that the girl
gave timely notice of her propensity, and was
prevented from doing mischief. Almost any
insane asylum will furnish other instances, and
we shall not be surprised if the Sherman poi
sonings prove to be attributable to the same
class of mental disorder.
II should be observed that homicidal mania
is frequently unaccompanied by decisions of
any kind, that the mind remains clear aud ap-
precates the enOrmity of murder, and that the
patient often suffers great mental agony
through the consciousness of inability to resist
the violent impulse. How far such persons
ought to be held accountable to the law is a
delicate and difficult question: which can be
settled by no general rule. Under the English
law. they would nearly ell I've regarded as sane
en6.gh to be hanged, even though they were
not sane enough to control their actions; for
the rule in Great Britain is to regard every
,body as legally sane who is able to discrimi-
nate between right and wrong. This is
brutal injustice based upon miscOnceptiOn of
the nature of mental disease for it is certain
that there are cases in which the perceptive
faculties remain unaffected while the will is
absolutely paralyzed. On the other hand our
own system, or want Of system, is unquestion-
ably too lax. Almost any criminal can obtain
a medical opinion that he was insane at the
moment of committing his ofiense and juries
are but too ready, on such pseudo-scientifc
testimony, TO pronounce a verdict of acquittal
and let the murderer go free. 1t should be
borne in mind that there are forms of mental
disorder which predispose persons to the COM
mission of crime, without actually destroying
their free will, and such persons are response
BILE for their actions, though they really are
insane. For the unfortunate subjects of an
uncomfortable impulse, the safety of the pub
lie demands the restraint of an asylum.