The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-01
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TRIAL.
Another Day OF Medical Testimony
The Defence Closed.

Another Day OF Medical Testimony
The Defence Closed.
The trial OF John Scannell was resumed yesterday
morning in the Court of Oyer and Ierminer,
DR.. Echeverria, the medical expert called and
examined for the defence, was again on the stand,
the only witness who testified yesterday. The
DOCTORS examination occupied the whole OF the
day. and for some time beyond the usual hour Of
adjournment. There was nothing new ELECTED in
the protracted cress-examination question, and
answer being a recapitulaton or ringing the
changesn in the testimony given in the direct
testimony. At the close Mr.. Beach stated to the
Bench that 1t was most probable the defence would
rest with the testimony given for the defence. He
did not wish to formally close the case, but 1t was
likely no other witnesses would be called Tor the
defence.
DIR. ECHEvERRIA RECALLED.
The witness further testified :--Lunatics he said,
very generally had vivid recoections Of transac-
TONS dates, &c. :; a man may labor under a hal
lucnation and still be a sane man; Dr.. johnson
labored under the hallucination that his mother
was dead, when he should have known she was
alive Michael Angelo, while building the vatican,
would stand looking upward for hours, and would
fancy he saw his work completed; great painters
have been known to stand with folded
arms gazing for hours on their blank canvas, and
would imagine they saw the picture completed;
AZ could not be decided from phy steal appear
ance whether man was sane or not; in some
cases there are very prominent symptoms, but in
others no physical manifestations; there are no
certain symptoms of meancholia mental disease
may be intensified by circumstances, sucn, Tor
instance, in the OF the prisoners 1T was during
the excitement OF election campaign That his
brother was shot, and 1t was natural that at every
election his mama should intensity, ana IL was
shown that such was actually the case; the TACT
with such a pistol, and fired four or five shots,
when the first was instantaneously fatal, was
pretty certain sign OF the prisoners insanity AT the
tine; physical signs OF insanity are not conclusive
evidence OF the mental unsoundness OF the person;
correct diagnosis; physical symptoms per Sc Indl-
cate nothing.
The witness was cross-examined by District At
torney Phelps--The predsposIng causes OF In
sanity are general and individual; the general are
such as civilization, excitement religious and po-
litica; temperature change oil seasons, &C.; ind.
yidual cases are such as intense GRIEF anger
powerful emotion, or any specific reason nervous
to insanity; grief viii cause mclanchoIia
in which there is always depression and
ful is going to happen 70 him, such as to die a
horrible DEATH be lost forever; the appearance
of the exciting cause OF melanchola will ALWAYS
stimulate the patients morbid impulse, which
may manifest itself In homicidal or sui
cidal impulse; the homcida Impulse may be
directed against an individual, or may not; he
cannot decide or control himself; he operates with.
out the exercise OF his own will: the absence OF
physical Indications OF mental disease Wouid not
Indicate sanity; did not think any ply sician could
fairy decide In dubious case nom short exaini-
nation OF person in cell or room whether ne
was sane or mol; he consluereu III inuvu oasic.
generally 20 tell men who were insane than men
who were strictly sane; in four cases out OF nVe
there is change in the eyes Of persons ainicted
with melanchoa; the general physical signs OF
melanoholia are CLASSY, peary expression OF
the eye, puned lips, peaked nose, soft, flushed
face and stupid look. but from these he would
not predicate that the person bearing these
symptoms had melancholia unless they were
accompanied by mental manifestations, nor would
he saw the absence of these symptoms indicated
the absence OF melancholy IL would be necessary
10 inquire into the aniecedents Of a person 10 know
# he we're insane 81 the time no committed GER
tain CIcncc, or II he affected insanity elterWud;