The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-02
WAS II THE LAUGHING GAS?
TIE MENTAL DISTURBdNCE THAT HAM
NAN DEAL rs SUFFERING.

ExhIInrntion. Followed by VIsIons'or Spirits,
mud Finally Temporary Insanity-'The If
feet of the Gns Delicate Organization.
Hannah Deal is Of Swedish birth, between
25 and 80 years OF age and has been living in
tho family Of Mr.. Frederick Mead. at 1 West
Fifty-siNth street. during the past seven years.
She has won the good opinion OF Mrs. Mead by
exemplary behavior and usefulness in tho
household. She is small in stature. with
light complexion and blue eyes. and
has nervous. delicate organization. For
months past she has been much exer-
cised on religious topics. and especially
matters concerning Spirituaism although
her interest has not manifested itself in any
unusual or noticeable manner. Her teeth have
boen n source OF much trouble for a number Of
years and have caused her great deal OF pain.
About two years ago she had ten extracted.
Recently those remaining have given her 30
much pain as TO PROSTATE her and Interfere
with her work. Mrs. Mead urged that thoy
should all be removed and false teeth inserted.
but could not prevail upon Miss Deal TO have
1t done. until ON the 10th ult. thoy went to the
rooms OF tho Cotton Dental Association In
Cooper Institute to have tho operation per-
formed DIR. G.. y. Cotton and his partner. DR..
l.. NJ. slocum. made the necessary examination.
before the false teeth could be properly fitted.
Miss Dcal expressed willingness to undergo the
operation while under the influence of laughing
gas or nitrous oxide gas. and placed horscf in
tho chair. The Rns WIS administered to her
and nine or ten OF the teeth we're drawn When
she gave evidences Of rcRaning consciousness.
and entirely revivng. the operation was sus-
pended for n few minutes TO enable her 10 re-
move the blood from her mouth. She was
presently put again under the influence ot tho
gas, and the remainder Of her teeth drawn.
soon ntterward Miss Deal and Mrs Mead
started for their home. At first Miss Deal
seemed To he dazed or in stupor, but present
~ she began TO laugh In an hysterical manner,
aud continued 10 do So Notwithstanding all OF
rived at home, where she soon became cnlmcr
but insisted that she saw spirits floating about
nor This continued through the night ANA for
1t was determined TO place the patient in some
institution whore She could be properly treated.
She was therefore taken on Friday to tho Pros
oyterian Hospital ut SEVENTEEN street and Mad
The Superintendent Of that institution said
Yesterday that he had no patient in the hos
pita that was insane. us the charter Vf the hos
pital expressly forbade them 60 care for such
persons. He thought that Miss Deal was
silly rather than crazy. She had attended
the religious exercises during the day. The
physician Of the hospital had told him that her
condition WAS not owing at all 20 tho taking OF
the laughing gas. but TO u prostrntion induced
by suffering from her teeth. II = patient was
be the duty Of the authorities OF the hospital to
have him removed as soon ms possible.
Mrs. Mnad said that Miss Deal had boon
Eighty. She thought she saw spirits aud
shadows.
Dr. Cotton said that II Miss Deal Ind been
made insane by laughing Ens. II was the first
tUe that anything unpleasant had occurred In
his administration u II. He had scroll con-
tanning the names OF more than 10 100 persons
TO whom he had given tho gas and he had nevor
had an accident happen TO any NJ them. He
explained the nature OF tho gas as
as common air. only combined in differ
eut PROPORTIONS and showed how II operated
by thoroughly oNygenizlng the blood and bro
ducing an eNhilaratlon that quickly passed on.
He himself took as much as two gallons Of Il
every day in explaining to patients how TO
vious nervous condition Of Miss Deal would
have produced dementia. whether she had taken
the ghs or not.
DR.. J. NJ Smith OF IA West Seventeenth street
the former Resident physician Of the hospital.
know nothing OF the case OF NJ iss Deal until he
saw il IN the hospital. He said that she was
very violent ihere sprang from her own bed 10
that OF q neighhoring patient and tore nj tho
clothes she wore. They were obliged to put her
in straight jacket for protection. The
she had been suffering from great nervous
prostitution. and that her mind had been
strongly influenced by religious or spiritual
tstic subjects. He could express no opinion as
20 the effect ~ the laughing gns. but II seemed
to him that IL was mere incident in her his
tory. and all the details Of her previous life
must ba grouped together to decide us 10 tho
cause OF her condition.
Dr. Slocum was absent from home Yesterday.
but his brpther-in-lHw spoke for him. saying
and give It Ms his opinion that the taxing Of the
Taught ing WA a mara cOiucileuep