The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-13
APHAsIA-SHERIDAN'S MALADY.

VIC oi6ons VI Tic ulaIA nave Deen pursued 10
: years by men Of the greatest scientific re
search. The strange manifestations and dc
velopments of the mind are traced to tn
functional imperfections of the nervous svs
TEN. We all have heard of kleptomania,
disease of the brain, we'll known to all physi
ologists. Butler, it is said, has its symptom
strongly developed whenever a spoon is PLACED
in his way. There is another disease of the mint
called Aphasia, and not very uncommon. But i
has not been thoroughly investigated, and tn,
actual causes which produce it are yet il
doubt. The better opinion seems to be tina,
it is congenital- some are brought into
the world with that infrmity. However that
may be, it is not for us to decide. We know
but little about this disease. From our read.
ing, we can say that it is not fatal. 1t is more
apt to produce a cheerful condition of spirits.
and these subject to its influence seem to be
very hsppy.
| Gen. Sheridan has been for years laborine
under its influence. 1t developed itself in
Major Gen. John Pope while he was at West
Point, and efforts to relieve him from its in
| tiuence have failed. As we cannot clearly
define this singular phenomenon of the brain,
we give the following account Of it as we find
it in the Daily Graphic:
A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR.
Says correspondent Of the Daily Grophic ::
The disease known among alienist physi-
clans as aphasia, and the symptom of which
is the patients inability to express his mean
ing by proper use of words so that should
he wish Cruel he will call for snuff or his
boots, has recently caused some curious de-
velopments in the case of the Corottier, about
whose moral and social accountability there
has been much discussion. She is utterly
unable to tell the truth on any subject at
least she has not for years been known to tell
it-and in her defense on the charge of per-
jury her advocate, NJ. Henri BournouilI, has
pleaded her cause on grounds very similar to
those often urged in America in behalf of
criminals temporary insanity, moral insan-
ity, and the ike-frst used, l believe, by the
late MIR. Seward in his defense Of the negro
Freeman.
In trial that grew out of case of inherit |
ance Mme Corottier swore so wildly that at
its close she was Immediately held for per- |
jury, and her counsel proved by physicians |
that, beyond all manner of doubt, there was |
such nervous disorder as aphasia, and that |
those afflicted with it are not always and in |
every instance subject to its influence. They
can at times call things by their right names
the disease is an obscure one, nor is it pos
sible to detect its presence by other external
signs than this misnaming Of facts and OBJ
ects. This being proved, NJ. Bernouilli next
called numbers of witnesses who had known
The prisoner for years, and whose testimony
was to the effect that it always seemed impos-
'ible for her to tell the truth.
In questioning the prisoner during the
process verbal she had been detected in numer-
JUS misstatements she called one physician
! COW said that slop-bowl examined her,
md addressed NJ. Bernouilli under the title
# 'hair-brusb.' NJ. Bernouilli is one of the
most eloquent and subtle of Partisan advo-
'ates, and, on the grounds shown above actu.
lily succeeded in acquitting his client of the
rime with which she was charged. To many
Ter case will seem to be simply that of an
liar but as her swearing was
and she was in no way benefited or
ould have been benefited by it, her position
7as peculiar. But how many gratuitous liars
re there in the world, and if aphasia can be
sed as plea for them what is to become of
aorals and of criminal justice?
Sir Henry Holland has devoted several
olumes to show that it has always been
nown, and SO proves this by giving numer- 7
us quotations from Shakespeare He is I
onvinced that Sir John Falstaff was victim
} it. He quotes as follows from Henry w.. !:
p Hen.-What's the matter? :
FM-What is the matter? There be four of :
s here have ta'en q thousand pound this !,
,orning!
P. Hen-Where is it Jack? Where is it?
Fd.-Where is it? Taken from us it is:
undred upon four of us!
p. Hen.-What, hundred men?
FdL-I am rogue, if were not at half
word with . dozen of them two hours to-
ether; have 'scaped by miracle. am eight
mes thrust through the doublet, four through
le hose; my buckler cut through and
trough; my sword hacked like q hand-saw.
Gee signum). I never dealt better since was
man all would not do. A plague of all
wards! Lot them speak if they speak
ore or less truth, they are villains and sons :
darkness.
As We have no space to quote all, we give = =
lly Falstaf's version -
at least, my lord. y
rogue, they were bound every one "
them, or / am an ass. n
bound the rest, hnd then came .,
the other. D,