The Van Buren press., 1873-03-25

ment. believe that the impulse was uncon
trollahlep Because if he did tho end
w,uld be the same, so far ms he WAS con
cerned. He would sacrifice his own llte
to protect that of othe's. though they
were IN no actual danger.
In the third place, might not this sto
rv OF the impulse be a mere pretence to
excuse the commission OF suicideP Now
there are no forms Of madness more OBJ
scure in their origin. more difficult to de'
tect, more persistent. and more fatal thah
suicidal mania: and as there have been
numerous eases in which persons WIN"
have DESTROYED themselves have carefully
prepared evidence tending TO sh"w that
their death was accidental, why should
there not be one N which the iatal ac
was to be 50 far as pOssIble) Justifed
ain the fourth place. granting that there
wa either real homiciGal mania or ian
cloJ homieidgi mania tending to SUICIDAL,
or simply the lattur-Was there posi-
hIity of cure
As Inc three FIRST questions rested
for their solution on one set OF lacts,and
the deductions to he drawn lheretr"m, /
considered theM together a victim OF
suicidal mania rarely II ever speaks oi
suicide When a man says he is going
to drown himself, vou may generally di
rect him to the cars which will take him
to the river side with the fullest convic-
ton that he will not breakfast with crabs.
IT, in an exceptional case, suicide is men
toned. il will either he treated lightly, as
an act that is not q crime. or the patient
will he very earnest in his assurances
that he Md npv I commit it Remeln-
hrr n nay poor fru nj manner, | notic
Ell tuat he spoke Of taking his own life
with much more eAotion than he eviuced
when he told me of the impulse to shed
the blood of others. His words, Il must
have human Iife-if | had had pistol
with me should have shot her--some
day soon Shall take a pistol on purpose
and shoot her-I should murder my keep
er and 90 straight for that innocent girl,
were spoken as calmly rs though he SAID,
i owe five dollars must go and pay
them. and st the same time with tone
of deep commiseration for the prcdeslia
ed victims They were to die for no
fault of their own, but they were doom
ed TO death--if he lived Whom, on the
Other hand, he spoke Of saving their lives
at the sacrifice of his own, his manner
changed. No one atil ctcd with suicidal
mania ever treated seli-destructlon with
the horror, the consciousness of it's wick
edness. and the religious doubts rs to its
being pardonahle under any circumston-
ces, with which he considered it. lie
had never once spoken Of murder as a
crime.
AFTER long and careful csnsidera.
ton came 80 the following conclusions !:
He is not laboring under suicidal
mania
His impulse is real, and will have ia
:nl results.
Confinement in an asylum would have
no curative effect.
Then took down my book bearing
upon the anatomy Of the human head.
"The next morning addressed him
thus:
Before | answer YOU as to whether
you would be iustiHahle before God, un
der the impulse YOU have told me Of III
taking your own life to save that Of an
other, YOU must answer me several qnes-
tons
"'Go ON he said.
''W hen YOU consulted these doctors
did YOU tell them all that you have told
me?'
".No. djl not dare. said that
had horrible thoughts and cravings, but
without entering into details rs TO what
ihev were Once | went so far as to say
! ielrcd was becoming dangerous, and
the fool smiled
"'Go ID D,l they ever speak Of
searching for that ha =
"'Yes. they said it miLht ha the cause
Of my Il nrinss, supposmg it had lndg
cd near the brain, but that no one would
take the responsibility OF scarchin. for
is--so to speak ia the dark
".Thpv were right-thr operation
M ght kill you, and the ball lie not found
after all
ale looked up. and the dull, detected
look that had become habi'ual passed
from his face
""And even if it were found, ! went on,
its extraction might cause your death all
the same
"Ile laid his hand on my arm, and
tried To speak but he could not.
"Still il would give you Il Chance
lust chance Of more than lie. His
grasp ,ghtrncd could feel his heart
beating. And submitting to such an op
hopeless though it be
would not he quite suicide
He fell on bis knees and sohhcd like
a child You'll do itT lie cried God
ble's you! You'Il do it p
"Weu, said my fricnd, lighting a
fresh cigar, "to make my story short, !
did it, with the assistance Of young sur.
econ whose nerve | could trust We
found that miserable piece of lead near
where | had suspected it TO be, 1t was
lust case of touch and go. Had my
knife wayered twice the breadth OF its
own cdgc-had tho assistant been un.
with the forccps would have
been fatal | don't want to appear vain
Of my success, go I'll say no more than
this-he recovered. y
"Aud hasn't killed snybody?"
mo, and doesn't want to.
"By Joys! | wouldn't be TO sure Of
H.. Al - ihn ri IL hn Nnntn ed La ~ mr..