The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-05

many questions relating to the various forms OF in
sanity were asked IN order 10 show how the W.T.
ness dlnered from other authorities and writer's on
the subject Of insanity.
Arecess was then taken Tor hall an hour'
After Recess.
AS soon as the Court had reassembled Mr.. Beach
proceeded TO cross-eXamine Dr. cross. ana occu-
pied nearly an hour and hall iu mis- inquiries
DR.. William A. Hammond was next called and
examined by Mr.. Phelps, who propounded TO him
series OF questions raIned with great apparent care
and Skill The jury paid the most exact attention
TO this witness. Alter some general questions as
TO the various forms OF insanity and methods OF de-
termlning its existence the witness proceeded
sions decisions and hallucnations, as well as be-
tween the causes which produce them; an illusien
ordinarily has relation to some actual existent
fact, or is based upon some fact The Doctor
proceeded to illustrate by saying that a per-
son might fancy that he heard a cracking sound
OF the wall OF the room in which he was sit
ting, though he knew actually that the wall had
not cracked or emitted any sound, or he might
fancy that the wall had been buged or distorted
from its true position, when he was perfectly con-
scious that no such thing had happened.
DELUsI0N WOULD EXIST
Wnere the person had ancied such occurrences as
THESE mad taken place, and when he subse-
guently believed and was under the impress
ance Of the wall we're facts. authorizations
were based upon nothing whatever. ana related to
no existent fact or thing; all OF their forms were
certain conditions OF the brain, the blood, the
nerves, the stomach, &C.; Authorizations were
frequently produced by congestion OF the brain
and variety OF causes have known an halu-
cination to be caused by Tightening OF the neck,
either preventing the now OF blood to the brain or
forcing too much blood into the brain; have
known an haucInatlon to- be caused by tight
cravat; have the case now OF
A GENTLEMAN LIVING IN THIS CITY
who is subjected to an nallucination every time his
cravat is fastened around his neck beyond GER
stances he actually fancies that he sees and con-
verses with and Is spoken TO by Sir Walter Ra-
leigh; he iancies that he sees him dressed as was
the custom OF the period in which Sir Walter lved
it is more than an ocular hallucnaton, for it de-
ceives his ear as well as his eye, though it does not
deceive ms mind; he Is perfectly aware that IL is
an hallucnation, though when laboring under 1t he
holds conversations with the imaginary figure OF
the cavalier and fances he hears the replies made
by Sir Waiter; anything which Increases the
amount OF blood in the brain or retards the flow OF
blood to the brain may produce hallucination; 1t
may be and often Is produced by champagne,
whiskey and other matters which stimulate the
flow OF blood.
tives In the commission OF actsY A. The insane
are frequently acIuated by motives; they simply
start upon, base their motives in many cases
upon, false premises and their acts in relation to
THESE FALSE PREMISES
arc as sound and logical as are those OF sane men
based upon true premises; their acts, too may be
entirely mOtveless. or based on false motive, or
upon Il real motive which would affect q sane mind.
z. Are the criminal acts OF insane persons gener-
ally based upon motive ? A The criminal acts Of
insane people are very frequently based upon
nuence them to the same extent OF action If they
were sane.
Q. In determining the character OF an act as sane
would be the elements entering into the formation
OF your Judgment A. Besides the act itself
want to know the antecedent circumstances, the
attending circumstances and the subsequent Cir
COULD VENTURE AN OPINION.
Q. BY what process would you proceed to tnves-
tigate given act OF an insane patient to ascertain
under what circumstances or in what con-
dition OF his mind it was committed2
A. First, / should inquire concerning hiss
motives; next l should learn as much as pos
history.
general conduct and his physical and mental &C
tons generally, his physical condition, and Sspe-
heart &C.; then as TO the circumstances of the act
and the manner OF committing it; how ne did IL
and who was with him; then as to how he con-
Quoted himself subsequently,, and what
was his subsequent mental nervous and physical
condition; should ascertain his physical and men:
tai condition both by inquiry and examination and
observation: would inquire into the condition Of
his heart and the circulation; the state of his
bowels the state Of his mind also as regards the
condition of his liver and stomach, and especially
would inquire into and as to the state Of his
CLREBRAL CIRCULATION.
Q. Would you consider the existence Of q motive
as an evidence OF the patients sanity or lnsanltyY
A. The existence OF rational motive for his action
relating to that motive Is prtfn1 .fdcie evidence
that man is not insane. The existence OF a mo-
tive before the commission OF an act for its COM
motive to its logical or legitimate end or object
would be to my mind very strong evidence that the
Q. What would be the conclusion where motive
existed and a declaration OF intention was based
upon that motive and preceded the act committed
under the asserted condition Of insanity A.
Well, l know OF no such on record-no
in which such conditions existed; the fact OF
motive existing and declaration OF purpose being
made upon such motive and the following out OF
that purpose under the incentive OF that motive
for long period of time to its legitimate concu-
sion woud, In my mind, be conclusive evidence OF
the PERSONS sanity; usually the motive Of An in
sane person Is
BASED UPON DELUsION,
and in such cases the motive and the delusion
have as much force upon the mind OF an insane
person as real motive based upon q fact would
have upon the mind of sane person.
q. Doctor do insane persons, acting either upon
known A. believe the insane almost invariably
conceal their intentions they very seldom declare
intent know OF no instance in which an intention
TO commit q criminal act has been avowed by an
insane person.
The witness, in reply to succeeding questions,
testified that the delusOns which persons Suffering
from melancholia have are usually relating to
themselves; there is nothing more di1icult than
to reason meancholic out of his decisions.
q. Reference has been made certain collec-
tion OF cases by Dr. Gray, nfty-twO in number, in
which he gives the detail OF cases IN which there
were motives ana those in which there were false
or real mOtlvcsare you familiar with those cases?
A. am {: l have examined those and
OTHER CASES TO THE NUMBER OF ONE HUNDRED
AND FORTY-NINE;
wenty-one Of DR.. Gray's cases were without mo-
tive: In twenty-seven of them false motives ex.
listed In two Of them there was real motive,
apparently; but 1t Is not stated whether the mo-
tive i'll all these cases was actually understood to
exist previous to the act; in all these 149 cases. six
OF which were my own, there was conclusive evil
dence OF insanity either before or after the act,
excepting two OF the cases presented by DIR, Gray
This substantially closed the days proceedings
DR.. Hammond will be recalled and further exam.
ined.