The New York herald., 1877-03-22
HATTIE BROWNS DELUSION.
Can a Breathing Animal Exist
in the Intestines I?
WHAT THE FACULTY SAY
DIR. McDOnald'S Interest
ing Clinic.


On tho stage OF the lecture hall OF tho New York
Medical College yesterday sat IN a eight all
pretty we'll advanced years clothed in uniform
suits OF light gray, the reflection OF which ceepencd
their cadaverous compilations and gave to their lack
ustre eyes still moro stony coldness. They wero
patients from tho asylum tor tho insane on Wards
Island, and had been brought to tho city by Dr. A. f.
McDonad OF that institution, illustrate some curious
phases Of the mental disorders on which he was
about to lecture the students. In tho course OF
his address tho Doctor explained the nature OF
hypochondriasm and hystera. which he said are
almost identical In their symptoms, the former at
tacking men only and tho latter being almost exclu-
sivcly confined to women. Describing nysera, he
spoke OF the OF Hattie Brown, OF Harlem who
believes that living reptile has taken up abode In
her stomach II very frequently happens, Dr. Nc
Donald sad, that patients suffering from hysera have
a conviction that thore Is animal in tho stomach.
II not he said very often safe for ply stefan to
make diagnosis without seeing the patient; but ho
did not think any one could investigate the case In
question without seeing that was hyster,a Hattie
Brown colorcd girl, and coored girls were very
apt TO havc that malady The physician who attended
the girl and who made the wonderful discovery that
airbreahng animal could exist In her ntcstines
stated that his for believing that there was
reptile was the TACT that hystrria could not last so
long three years. Many instances where it had
lasted long that were, DR.. Mcdonald said, upon
record
DOCTOR
"Come here, Mr.. Hcrne said he, turning towards
the unhappy creatures behind him. nd ono of them,
low-sizcd, wcbuilt oil about forty years OF age
camo forward
.weI sir, how do you dor" asked the doctor cheer.
iy
81 was all right muttered tho patient sullenly,
"unt the Governor took me up and put in the cas-
tic over his island" Then the subject placed tho
tips the fingers OF hand in the palm OF other
and scrutinzed tncm intentiy for several moments.
"Wcli how are you now? Is thorc anything wrong
with your
'Oh, yes; have a doctor" Smiles all round.)
"what doctorP Where is hes'
"He ID inside me-" responded the patient gravciy.
'Seo he continued putting tho tip of his right fore
finger upon his stomach, ''hs shoulder is against my
finger now"
'How long has he been thero9"
| "About twenty years. l."
| "How did he get INF"
| .'well, there were four mon who caught me in the
street one day, and two OF them held by the arms
and foot and the other two cut open from here to
here Indicating the hnes). and they put him In and
"How do you know he ia there nows"
'Because can icel him. was the reply, as the poor
| fellow pressed hrs hands one against either side.
And he has got tall - he continued ''and hurts
me. No, never heard him speak or cry out; but
he's there. iccl him now, and besides man tells
| s.what manP"
"The man In my nead--in there;'' and he laid his
hand upon his forehead.
'Tha. will ao." said DR.. Mcdonald, finding tho
sooE S say M no ore Sna the man
said the Doctor that IN this case, In most Others
there some feeling which rise 10 The dclusion
That s shown by the TACT that when opium Is given
relieve the pain he loses tho delusIon IL Is also
evinced by the fact that when no has indigestion no
always complains very loudly OF tho wav the doctor
Is kicking up"
PURSUED MuRDERoUs ENEMIES.
"There Is no insanity about me, said, Indignantly,
another patient with whom the Doctor conv versed.
Anybody could see that. wns the reply, "but what
IS II that troubles your
Tho unfortunate nan--who looked like honest
mcchanc-sad no was pursued by enemies who
wanted 10 takc his lite They mad attacked him his
way from the Island, and he could hear them that
moment under the floor OF the platform which he
was standing Before he was taken to the asylum hc
said these mythical murdercrs had gwen him a
draught OF something to tako his mind away. But
they did not succeed, he said exuantIy In response
to series OF questions ho TO tell about tho
enormous agators which attacked him when he went
tho river, and about tho dreadful peanuts which
were always scattered In bis path. lie had never
been bitten by alligator, he said but he had
been bitten by asnakc Then he related worry minuely
and with an earnestness and apparent sanity that
would deceive any but an expert how certain man
hau cut snake into two pieces, and then, cutting the
tip of one Of the patients fingers. had held tho
Of the writhing reptile SO that Its fangs
up into tho bleeding stump, and had then. when the
end OF the finger was In the snakes mouth squeezed
rative graphic and supplemented with such
expressive gestures that iarly thrilled the listeners
Another patient entertained the CONVICTION that the
heart and lungs had been removed from his body
CONSUMPTION HEAD
''Well, Dorsey what's the matter with your" said
the lecturer, addressing still another OF the patients
man about thirty years old apparently strong and In
good mental and bodily health.
'-Oh, Pm IN trouble +" the answer. "I'm filed
up with witchcrat and l've got consumption of the
| head"
The idea that some drawing all the blood
from his body tho deuson of another OF the un-
happy men, and no professed to feel that his veins
| werc empty.
QUEER DELUsIoNs.
DR.. Mcdonald has ono patient suffering from tho
disease, who asserts positively that ho has been
| killed tn rec different times and came life again. lie
describes In the most minute how tho several
murders committed Another thinks that his hood
has been changed INTO china vessel, and goes about
holding with his hands, for fear 1t will get
while third thinks his head made Of butter aud will
not venture into the sunshine, for fear IL will mott.
The dcusOn that some animal has entered into the
BODY Is quite frequent among this class of patients
Several patients think their inesines occupied By
reptiles and one agnes that he has a woodcock in
his stomach Another believes he Is horse; he
wears and has made for himself a tail out OF
old soap box carries bundles from one building to
another around tho island all day, and at night
no locks his wagon up among tho carts gallops OF
into field like horse released from labor. Like all
horses high standing he never passes whecib arrow
without shying.
| ANALOGOUS CASES.
case, which recalls that OF 'thc Harlem living nor.