The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-08-04
TEMPERANCE READING.
ALCOHOLIC TRANCE,

What Men Do When Under the Influence
OF Llquor-When Drunk the Person Is
a Mental Wait, without Compass or
Chart.
In somnambulism the person NAV
go about, and do many intricate acts.
without consciousness or any recollec-
tons of them afterward. In epilepsy.
distinct periods of consciousness oc-
eur Acts unusual and often violent
follow, which are never remembered.
In mania these memory blanks are
common, and the person is an autom-
atom, acting without any conscious
influence of fhe present. These are
familiar illustrations of some unknown
pathological and physiological states
Of the brain, in which memory is sus-
pended or cut off, and the operations of
the mind go on without realization of
the surroundings or the influence of
experience. This is some obscure form
OF psychological palsy, in which the
person had no recollection of his acts
during this time. From the many
clinical studies of cases which have
been made, the following general con-
clusions seem to be sustained.
First, alcoholic trance is not an I'M
usual condition of inebriety. The vic
tim is literally an automaton, and acts
without memory or consciousness of
passing events-a state which NAV last
from few minutes to several days.
Second, it is distinct from epilepsy,
hysteria or any known forms of mania,
and is found associated with some I'M
known condition following alcoholic
poisoning, continuously or at intervals
Third, this condition is probably one
of brain exhaustion, followed by low
ering of consciousness till events are
no longer clearly remembered or a
suspension of nerve force in certain di-
rections, closely allied to paralysis of
certain brain functions; hence there
are profound disturbances of brain
centers, and impaired and lessened re-
sponsibility.
One group of trance cases seems
never to do any thing outside a natural,
accustomed order of everyday life.
Thus, a farmer in this state goes on
with his regular work. A physician
continues to visit his patients, and a
railroad conductor attends to all his
usual duties, without any memory of
these states. A second group of trance
cases seems prominent by unusual acts
and thoughts. Thus, banker in this
State left his regular work and went
round delivering tracts in the lower
part of the city. A quiet, retiring man
became vociferous, bold and aggressive.
A peaceful man was combative, truth
full man untruthful, and a conscientious,
religious man was treacherous and
skeptical. Later, these events were per-
feet blanks in their memory. In a third
group of trance cases, some unusual
line of conduct seems to grow out of
the surroundings Unexpectedly, or
some old buried thought or conception
comes to the surface Thus, a clergy
man insists on riding with the engineer
on the engine. A skeptical physician
takes part in a prayer-meeting. A
merchant goes round threatening to
kill an old school-master who punished
him in boyhood. A wealthy man has
new will written, disposing of his
property differently every time. In
the last two groups criminal cases oc-
cur most frequently, although some
very remarkable instances have been
reported under the first group.
In a little work entitled "Alcoholic
Somnambulism," Prof. Jerusky, of st.
Petersburg, mentions the case of
chief of police, who was an inebriate,
ordering the arrest and execution of
two suspected Jews. His orders were
carried out in form, but not in reality.
A day later he recovered from the
trance state, and had no recollection of
the past; he had total amnesia of this
act. Another case is cited of an officer
who ordered house burned down on
the supposition that its inmates were
preparing to destroy his command
Two days later he awoke with no
memory of this event, and could give
no reason for the act. In these cases
the somnambulistic act was along the
line of his usual work, and performed
without the slightest consciousness of
its nature and consequences.
The criminal trance may be divided
into two classes, one of which seems to
have no history of criminality previ-
Gus to the commission of the crime
They are inebriates of active neurotic
temperament. who have occupied rep
utable stations in life, and belong to
the better classes. All crime is unusual
with them, and apparently grows out
of alcoholic poisoning. The second
class are the low neurotics and defec-