Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-11-05

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these mny be called exceptional In
stances OF fortitude, as the great mn.
tority Of maifngcrers are made Of
moro commonplace stuff. A mere
hint from navy surgeon that q,
cquivocal complaint would be benc-
fitted by transfcrel,cc TO an African
climate, or the application Of the act
ual cautcry, has been tho means OF
eGcctiug a miraculously rapid cure.
A French physicinn.s after watching
q spurious cpileptic fiji for some time,
put his hand OH the heart of the cheat,
and turning TO the attendants, said:
at is all over with him; carry him
to the dead-house." Immediate re-
suscitation was the result, aud the
man never Latlsan0thcr attack.
: The difficulties anu discomforts to
be endured in this department of art
in attaining the desired object, 70
doubt enhance the enjoyment of it in
those few cases in which success ut
last crowns their labors. A convict
sentenced to seven years. penal servi-
tudn kept his right knee bent so as
not 10 touch tho ground with his foo,
during all that period. and, OH ac-
count of his infirmity, was-cXcmptcd
from the usual kinds of convict labor,
aud employed at work which he could
do in sitting posture. When being
discharged Mt the expiration of his
period of involuntary service, lie
coolly observed to all official: 81 will
try TO put down my leg; it may be of
use to me now." lie was rs good as
his word, threw away his crutch, and
walked of with a firm step!
1t is, however. rare thing nova
days for a clinical artist to attain his
end and enjoy the full lruition of his
labors. In most cases he has no other
reward than the pleasure received
from the exercise of his art. This
aesthetic satisfaction would need to
be great, to enable him TO bear even
the ordinary prosnic hnrdships and
disconforts of his lot. But in addi.
ton to these, he is sometimes over,
taken by species of pocticnl justice
in the shape of penalty paid in kind
The frigned disease, in fact, occasion.
ally becomes real one. Montaignc
mentions some Instances. 1t is chiefly
in Stimulating the class of nervous
diseases that the danger lies of this
avcnging Nemesis. The continued
repetition of the manifestations OF
the affection seems eventually tC
make an -i"eras.icsble impression ui
the nervous ccnters. Two French
sailors taken prisoners by the Englisl,
in the wars of the First Napoleon sue.
cessfulIy feigncd insanity for six
months, and at the end of that period
got the reward of their clever dcccp.
tion by recovering their liberty; but
it was at the expense of their reason,
which was really gone. The means
adopted to simulate one disease have
sometimes produced another of q
more serious kind. Soldiers have so
persistently kept up state of irri-
tation in a Fictitious sore rs to bring
on disease which required amputa-
ton of the limb. The historian Ro.
bcrtson meutions.--a case which,
whether true or not, is, at all events.
physiologically possible. He says
that Pope Julius Ill. fcighcd sickness
to avoid holding a consistory, and in
order to give the greater color OF
probability to his illness, he not only
confined himself TO his apartment,
but changed his diet and usual mode
of life. by persisiing in this plan,
however, lie contracted 4 real disease,
from which he died in few days.