The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-02-08
lErom the Scientific Americana
Gynomania and other Manias.

1t is not strange that we sometimes
hear it asked: Is anybody sane2 A
large proportion of men are harmless
monomaniacs on some question or other.
Some have an insane passion for old
postage stamps and other worthless rel
les; and perhaps they cherish bits Of
house where Washington lived, or where
Ellsworth was killed. These insane rel
let hunters are frequently scourges of
civilization, and direct enemies Of art.
They have broken up and carried off
piecemeal many of the finest monuments
and ruins Of antiquity; and but for the
vigilant police, they would have destroy
ed many of the most beautiful exhibits
at our Centennial.
There is a more dangerous class of
semi-lunatics, persons whose deeds are
more or less criminal This class in
cludes the victims OF dipsomania, klepto-
mania, and many another mania yet un-
named and undescribed. Dipsomania is
now treated as a disease; the poor drunk
ard, whose feeble will is unable to resist
his powerful desire for intoxicating
drinks, is now confined in an asylum,
and treated with drugs instead of moral
lectures. Punishment is in part replaced
by medical advice and remedies The
kleptomaniac is more rare, and perhaps
Lore harmless. What treatment he
should receive is still an open question
We sometimes hear of ladies OF wealth
and high social standing who are subject
to attacks of kleptomania, and bring
home loads of stolen goods, for which
their husbands willingly pay to avoid the
disgrace OF permitting their arrest on a
charge Of stealing. Unfortunately, If the
victim of this passion Is poor and without
influence, it is looked upon as a crime
and punished as such. There are many,
in fact, who think that, because they
have no desire to drink or steal, Others
who have such desires can overcome
them it they will, and that il is only by
yielding to their passions and desires
that the latter have obtained the victory
over common sense and virtuous inten-
tions. Others look upon these persons
as suffering physically as well as men
tally, and consider them proper subjects
for medical treatment. Kleptomania is
far more rare than dipsoIaania; but there
is another mania rarer even than the
latter, and to many, probably, its exist
ence is unknown and unheard Of As
yet it has not even a name; hence we
shall call it, for want OF a better title,
gyl0maHia, and apply to its victims the
familiar botanical term, gynandria. We
refer TO the passion that some young
people have for the dress and manner OF
the opposite sex. At no time in history
have the coats, hats, and boots worn by
ladies so closely resembled the CORES
ponding articles of male attire. Ii is
true that in most cases il is possible to
distinguish the two by the superior ele-
gance and finish of those intended for
he. lar hs.
would follow too closely the dress of her
brother is designated last and hence,
modest and yftuous girls relinqnish the
extreme styles to their sisters OF bolder
class. Young men have reached the
limit of etfeminacy when they have curl
ed their hair, and parted il in the mid
| die. There is no other safety valve for
the escape OF their pentup womanhoodi !
and he that would 90 further must adopt
the entire dress and appearance Of a
woman. Startling as IL may seem, there
are men, some of them no longer young.
who can no more refrain from skirts and
bustles than the topper from his glass.
\ Some time since a young man was ar
rested in the streets OF a neighboring
/ city, dressed like fashionable lady.
| His slender form was rendered more so
by the tightest of stays; his legs were
bound together by a pulled back skirt
and hustle; his narrow feet were encased
in high heeled boots; his hair was crimp-
ed and frizzed; he was adorned with ear
rings, breast pin, rufiles, and laces he
was accustomed to walk the streets at
midday, unsupported by either sex. Al
though heavily punished by fines and
imprisonment, he always returns at the
earliest possible moment to his peculiar
practices, unable to break away from this
strange infatuation. He states that he
can assign no re-son for his odd conduct
This gynandrion, or female man, was
gentleman of respectability, wealth, anC
influence, and had worn this dress LON