The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-25
KATATONIA.

A New Form Of insanity with Peculiar Motor
Symptoms-stump Speaking and Lunacy-
DR.. Kiernan's Lecture.
DR.. James G. Herman, of the asylum for
the insane, Wards Island, delivered a high
ly interesting lecture recently on a newly
discovered form of insanity, which has
been called Katatonia. The lecture was de-
livered before the New York Neurological
Society at it's regular meeting, held at No.
IL West Thirty-frst street.
The chief characteristic of this disease
was an insanity Of tension, mental anu mus
cular. Its first symptoms was a change in
the temper of the individual attacked by it.
It presents at times well marked motions of
a rhythmical nature, always under the con-
troll of the will. Another characteristic of
the disease was its cyclical or periodic ma
ture, maniacal, melancholic and catalepto-
idal conditions alternating, with more or
less perfect convulsive attacks, a pathetic
delusion of grandeur and a tendency to act
and talk theatrically. ..Erotic manifestations
of some kind frequently occurred and, as
was usual in such cases, the patients ideas
had religious tinge. At any stage Of the
disease, as in other nervous diseases, remis-
sions to comparative sanity might occur.
DR.. Hahlbaum thought that complete re-
covery might occur; but the lecturer gave
it as his opinion that this idea was errone-
Gus.
DR.. Herman illustrated his lecture by cit
ing a number of examples of the disease that
had come under his own notice. One was
the case of a policeman, aged thirty-six, who
had been of Incorporate habits. He first
became melancholic, then maniacal, but re-
covered from the first attack. He then put
on very digniied airs, and was characteriz-
81 -, L., Follorr Nnlinon,a, ao ha,pu sc at,ol-
up" His temper gradually changed from
good humor to Feasibility, and ne had to be
sent to an asylum. Among the symptoms
he exhibited we're spasms of the muscles, Of
the extrepities and neck, unconscious slum-
Der, irregul ! action of the pulse and heart.
Finally he became unconscious as to his sur
roundings and performed his functions in
an automatic Manner. Then he became
violent for the space of three days and tried
to escape. At last, just previous to his
death, he became dignited and formal in his
manner of acting and speaking.
Several other cases were cited, in all of
which this marked popularity of theatrical
manner was apparent. This was named by
DR.. Hahlbsum "verbigiration." SIT finds
its analogue" said the lecturer, Sin the
chronic stump speaker" This form of in
sanity YVES due to predisposing causes
W ~ LilE huNO IA tLO OOholibublOh
of the patient. 1t could not arise from a
blow or any accidental circumstance. In
the United States it was the more likely form
Of insanity, because scenes of religious and
political excitement, which would tend to
develop the constitutional predisposing
causes, were more frequent. One case of
insanity wa reported to have been pro-
duced from the excitement of the Moody
Sanky revival. An examination of the case,
however, showed that there were latent
germs of insanity in the patients constitu-
ton, which were the true cause. Alcoholic
stimulants were regarded as antago2istic
rather than favorable to the development of
the disease. The influence of surrounding
circumstance was, perhaps, nowhere
stronger than in the United States. On the
one hand, examples OF self-made men were
held up as incentives to effort for high posi-
tion, while on the other, absence of wealth
was regarded as a strong evidence of incap-
ecity.
The lecturer gave at some length the diff
~ferential diagnosis between katstonia and
the other forms of insanity. Although
katatonia ia q disease causing death per Sc,
yet its temporary effects might be anchor
ated by the patient travelling under the care
of q sensible, educated man. The patients
ideas would be stimulated, and he would ac-
quire a more healthy tone of mind. In
other words he would be stirred up.