West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-04-14
uaIiucinetion. OF women.

recent circumstances, says the British
Aiedic'l Journal, have directed attention
To certain remarkable decisions TO which
females Of unstable nervous equilibrium
are subject, either through hys,erIa or
through similar disorders of the nervous
system. Charcot aud Eaurneyille give
instances Of the extraordinary self deccp-
hons that are frequent smooc hysterical
patients. DR.. Legrsnde d.I Saulle. physi
cisn 10 the Sslpetriere, Paris. describes In
h's standard WORK, les Hys,eriq ues, some
tenarRaose csses OF Authorization, where
iemsies labored uoder the belief that tnev
nave been struck or stabbed by others.
even after having inflicted bl 10 ws or wounds
upon themselves. In one iuetauoe a young
woman was found by her husband lying
on the toor OF her room In a fainting a.,
her face covered with blood On reyiying
from her swoon she stated that che had
Deen attacked by armed m n the Paris
newspapers related the case. and within
tnree weeks three similar cases occurred
IA the French metropolis. All these cases
proved to be Fabricated BY the supposed
victims. a yousg girl wounded herself
s"gntly with pistol. She gave the no
nee authorities the most rpluute details
aoout an imaginary assascin, who, accord
aug 10 her account, hred the weapon, bu,
sae was found to be highly hysterical, and
IL was proved that abe had willfully
wounded herself. In third case in DR..
du Saulle's experience, young woman
was found IN a railway carriage. stabbed
In the left side. Theihcident caused grea,
excitement, but 1t was proved, contrary
to her assertions, that she had inflicted
the wound herself, and was a hysterical
subject. A housemaid Was found living
behind door, bound, gaggea and coyere1
with bruises. She stated that she had
been brutally attacked by two burglars
with blackened faces, but she was high
~ hysterical woman, and there appears TO
have been strong evidence that che had
,contriyed TO tie her own hands and to gag
and bruise herself.
Perhaps the strange5t case OF all occur.
;red In Nj. Tsrdieu's practice A young
lady living at Courbevoie wished to make
herself an OBJ act of public interest by
passing as victim of a political conspi-
racy, which she pretended to have discov
cred. One night she was found in a state
Of the greatest mental perturbation at the
door OF her apartment She could not
talk, but stated in writing that she had
been attacked outside her own house by
man, who had attempted to g4rrote her. at
the same time striking her twice with a
dagger. Only the lady's clothing was in
jured, and the body of her dress and her
corset were found TO be cut through. but
at different levels. She tried To- make out
that the attempt at sirAugulation had
caused dumbnees. N. TsIdieu remarked
IN her hearing that this infrmity rapidly
disappeared when produced under circum.
stances of this kind. She soon manag d
to regain her speech, and In a short time
admitted that the whole narrative had
been developed out Of her inner cons ,ious.
ness. -E;centricIty IN relatives Is ever
strongly presumptive of self--deception
when femsle makes any statement or
charges Of ill-t-eatment of any kind. The
constant fear of assassination, especially
IL bsed on reasonable grounds, is plriIc-
ulsrly liable to predispose nervous or ex-
citable subj cts 10 extraor binary delusions
of this kind.