Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-24
STUDY OF INSANITY.
sOME ODD INSTANCES N0TED-How THE SANE MIND
APPROACHES THE INSANE STATE DURING DREAMY
sLEEf-N0TEs TAKEN By AN ASYLUM EXPERT

SOxE ODD INSTANCES NOTED-HOw TIE SANE MIND
APPROACHES TIE INSANE STATE DURING DREAMY
sLEEr-NoTEs TAKEN By AN ASYLUM EXPERT.
From the Pittsbure Dispatch.
The testimony so frequently given by those who
have recovered from insanity that the whole per
fod OF their disease now appears to them as dream
would seem to show that there Is great similar
fty between insanity and the state of dreaming
Some OF these people say that this time appears to
them as happy dream, Others that it was painful
and gloomy, even frightful as nightmare
1t Is true that In the insane the principal signs
OF sleep are absent, the closing of the external
senseS-the loss Of consciousness and the influence
OF the will, all OF which are regarded as essential
to dreaming. Yet, on the other hand, we know
that we dream the more readily the less profound
our sleep is, and there certain states of sleep
In which an influence is exerted similar to the
waking state This Is seen in the soldier sleeping
While walking or riding. The dreamer accepts the
most absurd thoughts and fancied scenes without
surprise; so does The insane man
IN dfeamng. ail bodily sensations are greatly
exaggerated and have powerful effect upon the
imagination; so It is in insanity. Thus in dream
ing eon1ned position in bed. pressure upon the
chains, or danger, or OF falling over precpiceS A
draught OF air causes ideas OF being at sea- warmth
OF the i Get causes ideas OF fatgung marches and
along.
The person who is distressed by bodily and mental
trouble OFTEN realizes in his dreams what reality
has refused him; that is, happiness and fortune.
THE STARVING MAN
Dreams OF rich repasts and tables ladened with the
choicest food; the poor man dreams OF wealth. SO
1t Is in insanity. The person attacked with mania
almost invariably is gloomy and depressed preced-
ing the burst OF mania; and often In insanity
these two states are Seen to alternate with one
another. Thus the insane man will be transferred
from the depths or dark despair to the heights OF
JOY ana happiness Often a person will awake
from dreamy, ftful sleep and pass into tram
quiz, dreamless sleep. Here again the analogy is
sometimes seen, as cases occur where the mind re-
turns Just before DEATH Thus the man awakens
rom his dreamy insane state to pass into the tram
quill, dreamless sleep OF DEATH A gardener re-
ceived fright from man dressed as a bear, and
DID not speak for fifty-twO years. but appeared to
initiate bear with growls and moving OF his body.
Just before death his mind returned. and he spoke
nationally to those about him.
:. remember or seeing man, who for three years
dla not speak word, suddenly recover his reason
a few days before his death. This man also for
three years did not eat voluntarily, but was fed
Twice day during that period by the stomach
tuDe. Cases also occur in which sort of waking
cream takes place during ordinary consciousness.
Thus lady suddenly during conversation would
stop and talk OF something else. In the course OF
lew minutes she would again resume the former
conversation at the sentence and word at which
she had broken Off. She was utterly unconscious
OF the interruption. A lady in New York suddenly
became insane While working at some fine en-
Droldery. She remained insane for seven years,
ana as suddenly became sane. She resumed her
embroidery as though she had only been absent
from 1t Tor an hour.
QUEER IDEAS.
we frequently read OF persons having dreamed
OF being dead and viewing their own remains, and
watching with tender interest the carrying OF said
remains to the last resting place. So some OF the
insane think they are dead and one woman who
had this idea constantly importuned those about
her 10 nave her buried. A soldier in Germany
InOusht he had been dead ever since the battle OF
Austerlt1, In which he was severely wounded.
when anyone asked him how he was he answered
~ gu ask how Father Lambert is, but Father LAM
oall at AusterlitZ. That which you now see is
not him, but merely a clumsy machine made
70 resemble him. Pray make another -
When he spoke Of himself he never said
~" out always cit" so one dreams OF being
transformed into a bird or a beast and the insane
man thinks he is bird or beast. A man in
france thought he was wolf and killed a number
OF people. When captured he said, 81 am really a
VOL and the reason why my skin is not hairy like
Vol Is That 1t Is reversed and the hairs inside
10 convince them OF this he cut his body to such
an extent that he died from his wounds.
The sensation OF being light as to be able to
NY Is quite common in dreams, Is also the SEN
satlon or being so heavy as to be unable to move
or the sensation that our limbs will not move no
matter how hard we try. This same thing has been
lelt his body or such an extraordinary weight that
ne could scarcely stand upright and at other times
SO light that 1t seemed though he rose from the
fioor and flew; besides, his body and limbs seemed
or such enormous size that it was impossible for
him to pass through door.
Thus 1T Is seen that the sane mind apnroaches
nearest the insane state during dreamy Sleep and
we can better understand the workings Of an In
sane mind by keeping this fact in View MANY
more examples might be given Of the analogy be-
tween dreams and insanity. The examples given
insane state w ~