Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-24
ALCOHOLIC TRANCE.
MEN WHO LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS OF
EVENTS WHILE DRUNK.
Are Inebrfafe- Responsible for Their Acts
While Under the Influence of Liquor:
Some Extraordinary Mental Con-
ditioa. Very Prominent.


Popular Science Monthly.l
Morbid states of the nervous system Il
which the mind seems 10 act automatically
and without consciousness of the surround
ings. and with no registration by the memor,
| OF the acts, are not new TO students of menta
and nervous diseases; but the fact that they
are more or less common ia inebriety from
alcohol, and may follow any access, i. q
recent discovery. In many of these case
there is apparent realization of all his act:
and WORKS, in Others self-eyidsnt uncoa
sciousness of them. This is only the begin
ming Of another aud more Pronounced sta ge,
in which the blank of memory and con
sciousness i total, and during this period the
acts and appearance of the person differ
but little from those of usual health The
following may be mentioned as fact, that ara
| generally accepted as landmarks from
which further study may lie dated:
This trance state is common condition in
inebriety, where, from some peculiar neu-
rotic state, either induced by alcohol or
existing before alcohol was used,
profound suspension of memory
and Consciousness and literal paralysis of
certain brain functions follow
ihis trance state may las. from a few mo-
ments TO several days, during which the per-
son may appear ard act nationally, and yet
lie mere automaton, without consciousness
or memory Of his actual condition
This trance state may lie noted by criminal
impulses and by unusual thoughts and acts
foreign 70 all the mans past history. In all
these cases there are no apparent disturb
ances of the nervous system, no commissions
no premoDitions to mark this state; at some
unknown point, all unconscious, the eclipse
begins.
a comparison OF tie history of a number
OF cases viii STOW three mental conditions
quite prominent: ]. IN which the mind in
this state acts along certain accustomed lines
Of thought and action. . In which the
mind displays unusual ranges of thought and
action, which in some cases can be traced to
certain mental states growing out Of the sur
roundlngs, and, j. " here criminal impulses
are prominent, that have no apparent con-
nection with the present or past These
conditions may he illustrated in the follow
ing cases:
Il railroad conductor who drank to excess
every night after the days work was over.
would frequently get up in the morning, 60
out on his train, perform ali his duties cor
rectly, and recover consciousness of himself
suddenly on the road, and all the past lie a
blank 70 him from some point the night be-
fore. These blanks occasionally lasted
twenty four hours, and he could never recall
anything which happened, and only knew by
the money and tickets that he had made a
trip on his train. After time he would put
down in notebook events of Importance in
this state, which he never did otherwise. The
train-hands knew that he was. as they
termed it, memory drunk when he used
his notebook freely, and seemed dull and all
stracted- skilled mechanic, who used
spirits to excess, suffered from blanks of
many hours duration, during which he at
tended dangerous machine, performing all
the duties, requiring both skill and judg-
ment- a clergyman, who drank wine, has
frequently conducted service and preached a
sermon without any memory of the fact,
having blank Of all the surroundings for
hours
In the next division the mind DISPLAYS
unusual ranges of thought and action, some
of which can he traced TO the surroundings
\ physician, who drank constantly and was
a bitter skeptic, went into a revival meeting
and professed change of heart, and took mart
in the exercises, and the next morning had
no recollection Of it. Later, while drinking.
he heard the singing Of the revival meeting.
and dropping all business entered and took a
very active part, and seemed fully conscious
Of all the surroundings, Yet, after nights
sleep, ha~ no recollection whatever of any,
thing which had occurred A similar case
was that of an editor, who. after drinking 10
Excess. could always be found in temperance
meetings, making eloquent appeals. and vet
he gave no evidence Of being under the in
iiuence Of spirits, nor could he remember
anything of what had occurred. Another
case is that of a man of fortune who drank
wine freely, awoke, and found that be had
married his servant and made an ,,nusn.I
disposition Of his property, which was nil
blank ia him. To his friends and others no
seemed fully conscious Of the nature and
consequences of these events ut the time.
The last division, that Of criminal i'm
pulse growing ont Of this trance state illus.
trateS the subject Of our paper more closely
The following cases bring out the facts Let.
ter than any description: An inebriate WAS |
arrested for demonstrating and
often punished The crime was committed
under similar circumstances. and no at;emnt |
was made t. conceal the property; ON two
occasions he assisted the owner to hunt mn
he horses. Whom it was apparent that he |
was guilty, great was his astonishment and |
he denied all recollection of circumstances |
or events. This was confirmed by all tho !
circumstances Of his life, by his inebrietv |
md blanks Of memory. and absence of mo- |
i've and object in the crime He was fond |
If horses, aud seemed at this time 10 be gov
erned hy an impulse to drive and ride be- |
mind good horse y farmer of Quiet. good |
disposition suffered from blanks of memory
liter drinking 10 excess One day, in what |
eemed fun Consciousness Of the surround /
lngs, he attacked a stranger and injured /
iim so that lie died. He Lad no recollection
OF the time. purpose, or any circumstances |
# the tragedy
\ clergyman committed n rare under tho I
most extraordinary circumstances. and de- !
ned all recollection of II; his drinking habits
md all the incidents of the case sustained his
statement. \ lawyer of reputation planned
he abduction Of a lady he was going to
marry. y man Of large family and bar,v
domestic relations married a notorious
woman. A physician stole a large sum of
money from a patient. \ college graiuate
'nilsted IN The army. In each Of these cases
here was history II drinking TO excess. and
'ach had no memory OF the event. and all
he circumstances were 80 unusual and at
with previous conduct that un-
ioubtedly trance state was present These
'ases might le multiplied almost indefinitely
rom the records Of criminal courts every
where.