New-York tribune., 1882-03-02
TIE DISCUSSION.


moDia1
TIE DISCUSSION.
DR.. Ralph Parsons was called upon by Mr.. Bell TO
open the discussion and spoke III substance as fol-
lOwsI
believe this paper TO be in accord with the opinions
Of the best insanity. In all cases Of reasoning
msnia or emotional insanity, hold as the
result of my observations and my views IN
sanity that the intellectual faculties are involved
NO fso9g 81 the II nihd % can qa Ge denefa If some e
mind are so ntcrindependent that we may not always
nauy Of insanity purely emotional disturbances
are most noticeable at hr-t as q change IN
the feelings accompanies forms OF mclhont paralysis
aud the physical signs become stronger the disease
goes There few Of Insanity In any asylum
where The patients not governed more or less ny
motive as truly as arc the sane Not persons
are influenced IN precisely the same way, ont ihe N9y
government Of an asylum depends upon the uth ~ TINS
fact. patient Is turbulent aud Is told that hc VIII
be scnt to an UNI lcaant place he continues and this
has favorable influence upon NM Il Is impossible al
ways tell intellectually whether such motives are ben
eicaI NOT and strict legal statement is impossible.
through their motives carefully studies oacA case,
and failing 70 reach one motive, may succeed
thus Influenced through their motives, # the! under
called for~aIe they not respousbo7 ftnink they are
Most patients shut up In asyuIus are rcsponsibo and
understood 10 be- and receive rewards and punish
ments, although under other names.
Hm as 20 the legal pnnehmcnt OF snch
II 4sked Why should they not be led resp9sbe II
Tue patients perhaps, but they are not III
1ucnced Oy moi, other men are and II not So they
should De put into d class by themselves II is said that
these casos shoUld De punished for the sake Of e4
ample But the not Influenced BY such
exampIes. and t1e few insane who might be
went were brought directly 70 thc'r kIoW!cdSc The
motive leading 10 the evil act Is ncoreirnsipe to the
patient hnlef jIc cannot compare himself VII others
But society should be piqcct.d an ceu%;e remedy j,
UrJposed-jAat special verdict shouIi ho -lNth IL
criminal trials OF persons OF uus0uHd ulnd,
& s@ns }Ie s, i'Gt 'Gt he OF m5&ni ,o6i5 GPd in
proper house 81 detention for The ins2ne hni 1t Is not
IN accordance with my views of Justice or publc policy
70 punish the insane Ike sane criminals
GEORGE H. YrAMANs's OPINION
George H. Yeamans who was the neat speaker,
said in part:
We lawyers sometimes think these talks not practical
STn Vt1 hair ,tirg distractions For-inucg wold
Ike 70 ask Dr. Hammond whether anything Is gained 70
science by The OF the term reasoning mania ~
When was "a student encountered IN NY IeGdnl the
term partial luuaCy" and want 10 ask thar doesn't
cover the case. man may be partly .orcit Of reason,
partly solled by concur with the views Of Dr.
idnd h5d Lott aosnac H 10 0 tie % a AZ he knew a he dG
wos unlawful. But to The Qld rule Of "6soying
TOqd ad4 ne Iqni %as the n,G c;Pdi'iGH p ion
knowledge that ne would he punished could not deter
him ought not this 90 be an clement IN the question
unless we fail back oa partial insanity.
lIperIoucc shows that the mind Ie not
Is entity, bus may be partly in da,Acs-. agree
vi,h the conclusion shat tho c,used mau j. ut subject
for punishment rot a7 WC would XII lh4dt9~, b on
WHAT DG. sPITZKA THINKS.
DR.. T. c. Spitlka, when asked to speak, suggested
TINT the doctors believing Cuiteacu 20 have been
sauo should address the meeting but AIr Bell stated
that no experts ior The prosecution in the Guteau
case were present. Dr. Spitzka then said in part:
Ilearncd several things in tie Gulcautria Ilconcd
that q doctor whe declines summons can be forced by
att4cumeng 10 leave his practice aud travel 300 miles
for al Ia, uiiicien fee was also under thc mPsso4
that expert was man of profound learning, but !
aaHe laEe,ts l'rTed Tio doctor Whose o pTacds
has nothing 10 do with mental di,tasesj
put him into the limited express for Washing gOn with
lawyer who Will coach lHI al the way; et nun meet
another lawyer there who vii rchcnIsc with him series
stand ana swear thcre Is no Hucn tIg hs moral insanity
Why his expert sa!d he based his knowledge OH Buck
references 70 mora lL5Ht5 an" Ioo-Ao'e ho'AB
examined Gnittan carefully and found him fll Of de-
luslons lie wanted GeImau mission, knowing moth
ing Of the country or language French mission with
When he nouns tie scnaold il viii be- in
descend from heaven and cut tie rope usTOe with
Nr Yeamans that there Is some confusion Of term, in
science and l believe with Or. Parsons, thut !
certain combuat!ons OF intellectual acis may
most correct for his IS tho German
ing original insanity Guitcau was bonn - much OF
lUac be Is now, and there are the profound defects
IN hs mental makeup vi the group Of luuItlc5 |
20 which he Delongs His family history is |
tainted presume those here VIII agree that tue word
Of Dr. Mcfarland. Of Illinois, viii outweigh The word Of |
all the witnesses FOR the prosecution and he tells U
Guiteaus father staying with him once being pal paby
insane. have recently heard Of the death OF al insane
uncle Of h- iu the BlOOmingdac Asylum. ] VIII read
YOU the history Of - of inherited faint excessive
egOtien, deiusions aud mental defects FROM childhood
which is parallel 10 that OF Guitcau Guitcau- mother
had cud born with dcioruiy OF the head, aud Ouo
with deformiiy Of the heart which resulted Ia fatal
d scase. / do not unIe-crvedly agree with |
Dr. Hammond. This is question not OF rDtIltUtlOH |
upon a disgusting and revolving wretch, hut whcther |
Tie example VIII fTIEhtrn Other iuIullcr. say no. |
There have never bgeu ma attempted hssassina-
iious OF prominent The fow months Immediate
Is following the fatal ID Of July Three days aiier
tired To III Mr. ElaHoi three months |
yft-ryarl luuatIO Win rhot-gun at |
frI.ut,1 TO shoot Governor Cornell; and /
moi long ago "A man AIMED with divine commission"
and "A rc,oycr went 10 Washington ~ XII iIca, 'cnt
Arllur He was II oOgiIed as insane because hr didn't
.ucrced Gueau did, and is therefore ranc This f. q |
Iuestion also Of national pOlty. We should nave ln--
cs and ask II republic cannot do what uouaiciJ |
lid when Lord Erskinc defended IIathelli
DR.. Boards VIEWS.
Dr George VI. Beard, who was ncAt called upon, |
poke substantially follows:
hay. studied this ease for months, and have eA-
yress,d my views fuzzy Ia articles IA Inc ApFH imert
an hecicc and elsewhere. agree almost callIcy WIN
Dr. Spitzkd, and very largely WIN II, |
i IammonL I don't like tho term reasoning |