Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-11-05
MALINeERINo..
curious aud Amusing Examples OF
EciEned Disease.

duty, which is familiarly known rs
"lnalingering," many curious exam
pies are related. Tho principal quail
tiles necessary in good simulator
arc acute powers of observation, a
talent for mimicry, some knowledge
of human nature, and great tenaci'y
Of purpose. The last-uamcd quality
is usually the only one to which the
common type Of malingerer can lay
claim. To assume Il simple role, such
as inability to hear, or articula,c. or
move a limb. aud doggedly to stick
to it, often In the face of the plaincst
exposure of the fraud, is all that he
considers necessary. But the higher
class of practitioners take Il much
more enlightened aud ambitious view
OF the requisites of their art. Some
of them evince q power of observing
the minutcr manifestations OF disease
which would not discrcdit practi-
toner of the healing art. joined to a
faculty of imitation which would ell
able them at least to earn livelihood
in some departments of histrionic art
AS a rule, ovcr-actlng is the common
aesthetic vice of simulators. The sham
paralytic, though he shows 10 diff
Guilty in protruding his tongue, will
turn it triflc too much TO one side
the spurious lumatic will be much too
inconsequcntial in his i,lcas and nc.
tions; the counterfeit deai-mutc fails
not only TO recognize the loudcst
sounds, but even the yibrations of the
soundwavc produced by striking Il
resonant body OH which lie may be
standing, to which real deaf-mute is
never inscnsiblc. But some are able
! to render the characteristic symptoms
of particular maladics with remark.
able fidelity. One of the most extra.
ordinary cases of successful stimuli
alton Oh record is one which, in s?i c
of modern facilities of detection, oc.
Cured in recent years. This artist,
who, up to last year, was a frequent
inmate Ill one or other of the London
hospitals, visiting some of them more
; than once, showed his confidence in
his own powers by selecting ona OF
| the most difficult parts presented in
the whole range of diseases. To fci gi
paralysis of one half of the body.
which he frequently did, is not SO u,i.
| common a thing; but his leading part
was tetanuS, Il condition in which the
muscles are thrown into state ot
violent and continuous contraction
Some medical jurists had, indeed
pronounced il impossible to simulate
this affection with even tolerable ac,
curacy. To do 80 mist require net
only extraordinary command over
! the muscular system, but must Ill.
voive Il very considerable aid c"ii.
slant expenditure of physical energy
with great discomfort, through {;
weary succession of restless days and
slecfless nights. In spite, however
IF ali these difficulties and incon.
vcnicnces, this man rendered the par,
| 50 well ia to deceive the practisetl
eyes Which watched him. AT first
as was TO be expected, his acting con.
tanned II few mistakes; but these were
often considered anomalous devia.
tions from the usual course of the
tious from the usual course of the
disease, which rendered his case, in
ii medical view. all the more interest.
ing. Like careful artist, however
he gradually perfected himself in hi,
part. Anything which in one hospital
he gathered net to be strictly accord.
ing to RUE, was rcctliicd on his ap.
pearancc at another, until, 1t is said
he could render the disease from it,
onset iii, ougl the different. iol 6
of symptoms from slight to .rave
with almost faultle>s fidelity. On,
would like to know something OF
the. thoughts of the rascal when IL
| professor on one occasion delivered q
clinical lecture TO lis siudcnts.on his
very interesting case. lie must have
needed all the artistic satisfaction
which he experienced to enable him
to brave the discomfort CT his posi-.
ton. How lie stood the variety OF
active treatment 10 which lie wa.
subjected, is something wonderful
Enormous quantities of powerful
drugs, including some very potent
poisons, were administered in,ernal
ly, while his head and back wcr,
kept externally at something like til,
temperature of all iceberg. On ont
occasion his death appearing immi
ncnt, the services Of the chaplain
were called in, and the sufferer view
ed his approaching end with patienc,
and Christian fortitude. He pro
ceedcd to settle his worldly affairs
mahe his will, in which he consider
ably left Il TO: nd sum, "frcc of leg
acy-duly," TO the hospital wllicl
sheltered him, not forgetting also til,
physician S assistant who had charg.
of him. In return for so much con
sideration, the hospital autlortie
locked well after his comforts, allow
I'd linn amy quantity of siilnulan!s
with soups specially procured foi
.im. His career at This institution
was at last put 10 an end by one o.
his previous dupes happening to cal
and expose him. 1t Is probable thai
This genius. after Il very surce>siu
run oil several metropolitan boards
is now starrin" i; in the provinces.
The way in which artists in d!scas,
have occasionally been baked OF theiI
i!ard-carncd success, after they haG
all but attained il, must have rot &
little tantalized them. A seam III oi
the navy fcigmed n chronic decline s,
well that he was on the point of being
discharged, when the real nature oi
his disease was very Unexpected.
clucidated. The mail from the sea
port Mt which the man was in hospi
tai had been robbed, aud the letter.
broken open with view to searcl
for money. The burglars were cap