Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-31

any one bent down or came near him to
catch what he had to say he would look
in wonder, or construe it as an imperti-
hence. This Authorization lasted for sew
eral months. gentleman of high at
tainments in literature is, according to
Dr. Robert T. Hume, constantly haunt
ed by specter, which, whenever he lies
down, seems to attempt his life. The mo-
ment he assumes sitting posture the
specter vanishes. 1t has nothing to do
with night or solllude, for he sees the
specter at noon as at midnigh t-when
with friends as when alone. All he has
to do when he wants TO summon the COB
lin is to lie down-and whenever he wants
to get rid of the apparition all he has to
do is to sit up. He is not drinking man
nor nervous, nor dyspeptic; on the con-
trary, he believes in muscular Christian
l ity." This getting up a ghost to order
seems to be solely caused by the position
of the gentleman's head in relation to the
rest of the body. 1t frequently happens
that, after having held the head down for
some time, on raising it we feel giddy and
bewildered we see bright lights before
our eyes, experience disagreeable sing
! ing in our ears. In some cases this posi-
| ton has given rise to hallucinations A
case is recorded of servant girl who,
whenever she washed the stairs, would
see on lifting her head gigantic woman
standing before her. Another case has
been noted where, after having stopped
two or three times, a gentleman would
| behold all sorts of serpents and demons,
'for all the world" he said, "as if had
| fit of delirium tremens," though he did
not drink drop. Some Authorizations
xl, 90 ~ a. RI
by any physical condition or act, and can
be excited or dispelled at pleasure.
A fearful fac, in this connection is that
an hallucination, though known to be such
by the person subject to it, may yet by its
power and its persistency produce so de-
pressing an influence on the mind as to
lead to suicide. A case is instanced by a
writer on the subject-Dr. Wigan. 81
knew" said Wigan, a very intelligent and
amiable man who had the power of plac
ing before his own eyes himself, and who
often laughed at his double, who in turn
would laugh at him. For some time this
| was subject of amusement-a joke-but
the ultimate result was terrible. He be-
came gradually convinced that he was
haunted by himself. The other self would
argue with him pertinaciously-an often.
so he thought, get the best of him in an
argument. AT length, worn out by the
annoyance, he deliberately resolved on the
last night of the year not to enter in an
other He paid all his debts, or arranged
for their payment, made his will, and then
at the stroke Of twelve al midnight blew
his brains out to escape from himself.
Yet the man lived and died sane and in
good bodily health" A somewhat SINH
lar case is narrated in physicians diary.
One OF his acquaintances, a lawyer in good
standing, became very melancholy and
eccentric, and the doctor was sent for.
After carefully examining the mental
| and physical condition of this gentleman,
the physician was compelled opronounce
him perfectly healthy and sane, yet he was
perfectly miserable. For while the
mystery remained unsolved, till finally
the lawyer contided to the doctor that he
was the victim of an Authorization. He
was haunted man-had been haunted
man for years. At first his visitants had
been pleasant people; then they subsidized
into a fop, who haunted him for six
months; lie was followed by sort of
usher, who always insisted on preceding
him everywhere, and at last the usher
gave place to a persistent skeleton--a huge
skeleton whose presence never left him
day or night at his office, at his house, in
the street, in the stages, at parties, or
when alone the skeleton was ever with
him. The haunted lawyer knew well
enough that it was all tancy-his mind
was active and he had large practice all
this time and attended to it-yet he died
of his hallucinations-fell into decline,
and died of being haunted Many ccle
brated personages have been the volun-
tary or involuntary victims of hallucina
tons. In the full prime Of their faculties
they have cherished illusions or decisions
which have sometimes materially inf1u-
enced their career and conduct; yet their
perfect sanity has never been doubted.
The classes denominated nervous peo-
pie are generally regarded as more prone
TO become the victims of Authorizations or
illusions than persons of phleginatic
temperament Yet, rs has been shown,
the latter class is subject to Authorizations.
The illusions to which the nervous are
prone are, however, more intense or more
enduring, it would seem. A perfectly
sane woman, a French lady Of education,
but very nervous, imagined herself for
years to be possessed by devils. She ex-
hibited no sign of madness, wrote and
talked elegantly, attended to her house
hold duties, and never obtruded her hal
lucination upon those around her. Yet
she as firmly believed herself for ten years
10 be possessed by devils who would ulti
mately lead her to destruction as she be-
lieved that she was married or had chill
dren. 1t speaks well for her strength OF
mind, in tact, that, with such horrible,
belief, she did not 60 mad outright. She
was finally cured by change of scene She
removed with her family to Scotland, and
was never afterward haunted, her cxpla
nation being that the devils hate noun
lains, probably because they are so near
the heavens.