The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-29
MORBID IMPULSE"
Professor William A. Ham mond ON Inn
pulse rs Distinguished from Insa nifty.

Professor William A. Ham m0nd on Inn
pulse rs Disting uished from Insa nifty.
The regular monthly meeting OF the New York
Medico-Legal society was held last evening az the
lecture room OF the College OF Physicians and Sur
geons, Fourth avenue and Twenty third street.
Mr. Clark Bell the President Of the society, occu-
pied the chair, ana George w. Wells, M. D., acted
as Secretary. The paper or the evening, on
"Morbid Impulse was read by Professor Will
liam A. Hammond. The lecturer began by re-
lating several strange anecdotes illustrative of
the sudden appearance OF a morbid impulse
in diseased minds. Morbid impulse may
be defined as the condition In which a
person ls tempted to commit an irrational and
desperate deed, which impulse may be In the mind
for weeks or months The sufferer may be unwi-
ing TO admit the presence OF any such thoughts
until IN the demon seems 70 gain control OF him.
leptc cases. IN true morbid impulse the person is
perfectly aware Of The deed he Is about TO commit
He acts deliberately, and II his purpose may be
tnwarted by circumstances, returns to the scheme
several Instances were related by the lecturer IN
kill their children. young man in this city con-
stating That ne had been actualed BY terrible i'm
pulse to XIII u friend de admitted TO the lecturer
that he would have been guilty 0f the most pre-
meditated murder. A few years ago young man
was arrested IN this city for stealing women's
shoes. He admitted that he had no use Tor them
ana attached no value to them, but merely stole
them Tor the qualification OF morbid impulse.
The murder OF tue organ grinder by Waltz is a
very recent example OF morbid impulse. The
jurisprudence Of France Ia filled with examples
OF criminal morbid impulse. the case OF Jesse
Pometoy Is worthy notice. The victims OF thus boy
were varlously mutilated, and this boy, when ar
rested, admitted tnat he was guilty Of the out
but there exhibited few signs Of i'll temper. He
was pardoned, aud killed boy only few months
since. He said that he wanted to be put where he
could not do such Things The young man who
threw nitric acid ladies' dresses In the vicinity
OF Union square consulted the lecturer for treat
mont the morbid imDUlSe which he had tn de-
strOy silk dresses. recommended sea voyage
on sailing vessel He returned several months
after perfectly cured. Many persons who ascend
to great heights are impelifd TO commit suicide.
Such people should never 60 alolt. Persons nave
hanged themselves nom seeing ropes others have
committed suicide from seeing q revolver or a
knife. Tbs morbid impulse Is nurtured by the de-
tailed accounts OF suicides and murders In the
daily papers. 1t Is matter susceptible OF proof
that one suicide by Paris green is followed by
Others by the same method. The principles Of
suggestion and Imitation act very powerfully upon
those VINO are aff1icted with morbid Impulse. A
child OF six years strangled its younger
Punch at travelling show. Every time these
morbid impulses are yielded to the inclination be-
comes stronger, until there Is nothing but mania
in 1t. Impulses to destroy Things may not be the
result OF frenzy. The influence OF the force OF
habit on an people cannot be 100 strongly dweit
upon. Napoleon l. appreciated the danger OF I'm
pulse among his SOLDIERS to commit suicide and
the danger of an epidemic Of the sort. he, on one
occasion, made proclamation In regard TO
suicide. man who had an uncomfortable i'm
pulse to murder was cured by his doctor recon-
mending him to be butcher IN q slaughter house.
All who are affiicted by morbid impulse should
place themselves In such position that the COM
mission OF such acts would be impossible.