, 1873-07-13
characteristics Of tho Action OF
tho Drug.
How They illustrate "Tho Direct cuusal Relation
Of Physical Conditions 10 Mentai."

Dicotro, WHO had givon great attention to tho
psychology OF insanity, and vloso special object
was to throw light upon that subject by expert
monting upon vhat l,c tormod Its artificial pro-
duction. His troatise "Du Hachisch, ct dc
rAlionaton Menta1o [pariH, 1s45), Is ono
Which doBoryea tho attentive Htudy Of Auch as
desire to base thoir psychology upon q compro-
honBlYo survey of factB.
Ono Of tho first effectH Of the Hdshish, ns Of
other intoxicating agents, Ia tho gradual weak
ening Of TINT powor of Volittonally controlling
and directing tho current Of thought, the poH-
session Of which charactorlzee the vigorous
mind. Tho individual fecls himHolf incapable Of
fixing his attention Upon my subject tho COLI
tinuity Of l.a thoughts being continually drawn
OF by q succossion of disconnected ideas, which
force themselves (aa it woro) into hia mind,
without his being ablo In tho least to trace thoir
origin. Thoao speedily ongroBs hia attention,
and present themselves III strange combinations,
so as to produce tho mott impossible md fam
taBtlc creations. BY HtronY effort Of tho will,
however, the original thrend Of tho ideaa may
still be recovered, and the intorlopers may DO
driven away their remembrance, how
ever, boing preserved, like TINT of a
dronm recalling events long since past. These
lucid intervals progressively become shorter In
duration, and can be less Frequently procured by
voluntary effort for the informal .tonpeat bo-
comeB moro violent, tile torrents Of disconnected
IDEAS arc 50 powerful as completely to arrest tho
attention, and the mind III gradually Withdrawn
altogether from tho contemplation Of external
realities, boinB conscious only Of Its own intor-
nal workings; There is always preserved, how
ever, much creator amount Of self-con-
Bciouaness " thnn exists in ordinary dreaming
the condition rathor corresponding with tint III
which tho sleeper knows that he dreams. aud, II
his dream be agreeable, 1nakes au effort to pro-
1anr H. haInr NnnRnn1a 0f A faar onf ha
BY awakening cause tho dissipation Of tho pleas
ant illusion.
Il ia another characteristic OF tho action of
hashtsh that tho succession of ideas has al frat
loss Of incohoronce than In ordinary dreaming
and the ideal eventa do not 80 far depart from
possible ronllties; tho disorder Of the mind be-
ing At frat manifested In errors of BonBe in
false CONVICTIONS, or in tho predominance Of one
convictions arc gonorally not altogether Of All
imaginary character, bat arc rathar suggested by
external Impressions. these Impressions being
erroneously Interpreted BY the perceptivo facul-
ana gS SSbaoga Hrgn xbe@ 70
is in TINT moro advanced stage Of tho "fantasia''
which Immediately precedoB tho complete with
dsawal Of the mlnd from external things, and In
which tho self-conaciousnoss and power of tho
will arc weakened, that this perverted impresAl-
bility becomes most remarkable, more especially
nB tho general excitement Of tho feelings causes
tho erroneous notions to have = powerful effect
in nronglng thonl.
sWe become" says III. hloreau, "the snort of
Impressions Of tho most opposite kind tito con-
tlnuity OF our ideas may be broken by tue slight
ost cause We arc turned, to uHo common ex-
presaon. BY every wind Dya word or a gesture
our thoHghta may bo successiyoly directed to
multitude OF different subjects with rapilisy
and lueidlsJ Which are truly marvellous. Tho
mind becomes pts.sessed with d foe!ing Of pride
corresponding with tho oxal.ntion OF its f0cul-
ties, OF whoHe increase in energy and power it
becomes conscious. twill be entirely 1opond-
ent on the circumstances u which We aro placed
the objects which strike e.lr eyes, tho words
sentiments of gayety or Of sadness shall bo pro-
duced, or passions Of the moat opposite charac-
ter shall be excited, eomtimos with extraordi-
nary violencei for irritation shall rapidly pass
Vengeance, and tho calmost affection to tic
transporting passion. Fear pacomss terror,
courage iH doyelopod into rashneHs which moth
ing ollocks, and which Heenls not to be Conscious
OF danger, and tho most unfoundod doubt o. s,ls-
picion becomes certainty. The mind hog a
tendency 10 e1aggerate euerything and tho sligh-
eBt Impulse carries it along. Those who make
use Of tho hashish in tho last, when they wish
to give themselves up to the intoxfcation of tho
everything which could give to their delirium a
tendency to melancholy, Or excite them in any
thing else than foelinga Of Rlsasurablo enjoy
the diaso!ute manaors Of tho East place ut their
Tue disturbance OF tho percoptive faculties Ia
remarkably shown in regard to time aud space.
Minutes seem hours, aud houra are prolonged
into years and at last all idea of time soelna
oblitoEated, and tho past aud pEoHont are con-
founded together. Ii. Moreau montionn aH an
illustration, that on one evening he WAS trayorn-
ing tho paHsage OF tho opora when undcr tho in
fuonco Of dose Of haBhieh. lIo had made
had boon thore two or throo hours aud, aB ho
advanced, tho passage appeared to linn intermin-
ablo, itH extremity recedng al ha pressed for
ward. But he giy.s another more remarkable
instance In walking along tho bouleyards, 10
has frequently seen persons aud things at
certain distance representing the Same
aspect ns II he had viewed tlcm through
the largo end Of all opora..gaHs-.that is, dlmin-
iBllod i'll apparent size, and therefore suggesting
the idoa oi Increased distance. This erroneous
perception Of space ia ono Of the effects Of tho
a'nanila nuscdr7a m Intoxicating fungus used
by tho Tartars; person under its Influence ho-
lng said to take jump OF stride sufficient to
clear the trunk OF = tree whom he wishos only to
ouB perceptions arc common enough among lu-
| natics, and become the Foundations OF fixed
illusions while in tho person intoxicated by
hashish there is still certain couRciouBneaa Of
their deceptive character.
Though all tue sonHes appear to bo peculiarly
impresBiblo in thin condition. yet that Of hearing
neama tho ono through which tho greatest iIl-
1uonce may bo e1crted upon tho MUD, especial
~ tnEOubu Ing Lhulum u IuuelCAl H0lluub. 1ub
celebrated artiBt, II. Theodore Gnulter, do
soribas himself as hearing sounds from colors,
which produced undulatione that wore perfectly
distinct 10 him. But he goes on to say that tho
slightost deop aouud produced the erect Of
rolling thunder bis own voice soomed 30 tre-
menlouB to him that he did not dare to speak
out for fear of throwing down tho wallis, or Of
himself bursting like bomb moro tlian five
hundred clocks seemed to be striking the hour
| with yariety Of tonos, etc, etc. OF oourae,
those individuals who have a natural or nj
acquired "muslcal ear" are Tho most likely
to 10 influenced by the concord or succession oi
sweat BoundH; mud in such the simplest music ol
the comlnonest instrument, or oyon IN air surg
by u yoioo in d mediocre style, shall excite tle
strongest emotions Of Joy or melancholy. nc.
cording ns tho mir is cheerful or platntive tht
mental exoitomont being communicated to thu
body, and being accompanied with musonlal
| movements OF a Beml-conyusive nature, ThfI
| Influence OF music is not 1neroly sensual, bu
dopbnda, like that OF other external Impressions
upon tho associations Which it o1cteY, aud upu1
tic habtual disposition to CONNECT It With til,
| play OF tho imaginative faculties.
1t Is aoldom that tho excitement produced b,
tue hayhis, il1os itself upon any particular trail
OF ideas, and gives riso to a sottlod duluhion
~ if1ann nj, aaau u