River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-09
FaBeies of the Insane.


Yes, sir, I'm the light of the world"
said q hatchet-faced, emaciated man in
the city hospital for the insane on Wards
island, New York. And he looked at the
superintendent, Mr.. 4. f. Macdonald,
seemingly expecting some acknowledge
ment of the truth Of his assertion.
Getting from the doctor nod of re-
spectful assent, the patient continued:
y on know, doctor, that | have been
skinned alive, scalded alive. You know
it, doctor. Ny bones have been taken
out of my body one by one. My head
has been screwed off and screwed ON
again."
why did they take your head Off"
the doctor inquired.
"Oh, you know, doctor. You know
we'll enough" the patient replied, re-
proachfully. You know that my head
is the moon and my skin is the stars.
Where would you get your light at night
| should like TO know, if it wasn't for me-
Doesn't my blood supply light for all the
street lamps in that big city over thereT
As he said this, he waved his hand to-
ward the opposite shore, where the thous-
ands of little gas jets glimmered through
AAAN NAeAA hAANrGs CLNNs hE NOhAiAAaNs IL
head was as big az our friend. the doc
tors, here. Now see how thin it is"
And as he stroked his poor, shru nken
cheeks, bis head dropped upon his breast
his jaws dropped, and he looked unut-
terably sad
Yes, but" said the doctor, trying to
rally his patient, "if your skin is all
taken off and your bones are taken out,
how is il that there Is anything left Of
you:"
The patient did not raise his eyes from
the floor. As tAe doctor was moving
away the poor fellow mumbled in answer
that be supposed his body was repaired
as fast % il was destroyed
That's a curious case" said the doctor.
+" 1t is mixture Of mania and melancho-
lia."
! stout built, excessively nervous man,
with black hair and beard. was next Wis
tied. Tie fsncies that he has an electric
battery in him, and that his enemies hold
the wires and use them 10 draw away his
thoughts.
They came again last night, doctor,
the patient said. They came and took
my lungs out
Another fellow says that he has a doc
tor in his body, who moves about to phys
ic and torture him.
Can you feel him today DR.. Mac
donald inquired.
ION. yes," was the reply. Il can feel bis
shoulder pressing here and lac put his
hand to his left breast.
Then, where's his headf' asked the
doctor.
The patient felt all over his body and
about his throat, and then shook his head,
saving: Il don't know where his head
is to-day"
\ very remarkable patient is an elder
" man, an ex-collcge professor, who is
hard at work on a translation OF Horace,
with copious foot notes. He talks 50
! leaTnedly and logically, that you wonder
! whether he has not been confined 10y mis-
take. But he presently tells you conf
I dentially that Charles Dickens wrote
BLEAK House for the purpose of injuring
/ him. and if you should say anything about
/ poison, he will Immediately tell you that
! his whole system has been ruined by be-
ing inoculated with poison contained in
! the lead Of the water pipes. He admits
I that be is insane, but says he is care
, fully studying his case in connection with
the lead poisoning theory, aud has hopes
I of getting the poison out of his system.