The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-25
Bodily Illness as Mental Stimu-
lar1t

During special states of disease the mind
sometimes develops faculties such as it does not
possess when the body is in full health. Some
of the abnormal qualities thus exhibited by the
mind seem strikingly suggestive of the possible
acquisition by the human race of similar pow
ers under ordinary conditions. For this reas-
on, though we fear there is no likelihood at
present of any practical application of the
knowledge we may obtain on this subject, it
seems to us that there is considerable interest
in examining the evidence afforded by the
strange powers which the mind occasionally
shows during diseases of the body and especi-
ally during such diseases as are said, in unsci-
entific but expressi We language, to lower the
tone of the nervous system. We may begin by
citing a case which seems exceedingly signif-
cant. Miss HI. Martineau relates that q con-
genital idiot, who had lost his mother when he
was less than two years old, when dying, "sud-
denly turned his head, looked bright and SEN
sible, and exclaimed in tone never heard
from him before, ooh, my mother, how beauti-
f',lt' and sank down again-dead'' DIR. Car
penter cites this as case of abnormal memory,
illustrating his thesis that the basis of recollec-
tion ''may be laid at q very early period of
life" But the story seems to contain deeper
meaning. The poor idiot not only recalled a
long-past time, face he had not seen for
years except in dreams, but he gained for a
moment degree of intelligence which he had
not possessed in health. The quality of his
brain was such it appears, that with the ordi-
nary activity of the circulation, the ordinary
vitality of the organ, mental action was uncer-
tain and feeble; but when the circulation had
all but ceased, when the nervous powers were
all but PROSTATE, the feeble brain, though it
may have become stronger actually, be-
came relatively stronger, in such sort that for
the time being, mere moment before dissolu-
tlon, the idiot became an intelligent being. A
somewhat similar case is on record in which an
insane person, during that stage of typhus fe-
yer IN which sane persons are apt to become
delirious, became perfectly sane and reasona-
Bile, his insanity returning with returning
health. Persons of strongest mind in health
are often delirious for short time before
DEATH Since, then, the idiot in the same stage
of approaching dissolution may become intelli-
gent, while the insane may become sane under
the conditions which make the sane become
delirious, we recognize the relationship be-
tween the mental and bodily states which
might be of considerable use in the treatment
OF mental diseases. 1t may well be that con-
ditions of the nervous system which are to be
avoided by persons of normal mental qualities
may be advantageously superinduced in the
case of those of abnormally weak or abnormal
~ VlOIent Hlnd. lU is noteworthy tnat ul11cr-
ent conditions would seem to be neces-
sary for the idiotic and for the in
insane, if the cases cited sufficed to afford ba-
sis for generalization. For the idiot of Miss
Martineau's story became intelligent during
tie intense depression of the bodily powers
Immediately preceding dissolution, whereas
the insane person became sane during that
height of fever when delirium commonly
makes its appearance. Sir II. Holland men,
tions a case which shows how great bodily de-
preston may affect person of ordinarily clear
and powerful mind 81 descended on one and
the same day." he says, 1.-TWO very deep mines
in the Hartz Mountains, remaining some hours
under ground in each. While in the second
mine, and exhausted both from fatigue and in
anition, felt the utter impossibility of talking
longer with the German Inspector who ac-
companied me. Every German word and
pl -ase deserted my recollection; and it was
not until l had taken food and wine and been
some time at rest that regained them again"
The Cornhill Magazine.