The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-06-16
THE BRINK OF A CHASM
DR.. Allan MLane Hamilton on
unsupported Monomonia-
Symptoms OF the Early Stages OF Insanity
Effects Of the InJudicious Use OF
Leisure Tho Best Medicine.

Effects OF the InJudicious Use Of
Leisure Tho Best Medicine.
There is q man in this city who is
confined to certain limits on the island.
He can not go above Fifty-ninth street,
nor can he cross ferry. Otherwise he
walks about freely and transacts his
business. He is not n ''crook," and
the police would let him go to Jericho
or Canada if he desired. Neither his
friends nor his enemies restrain him.
and he has fortune that would per-
nit him to go where he liked and do as
he pleased. He is his own jailer. a
monomaniac whose solo delusion re-
lates to the bounds which he thinks are
set about him. Not half dozen of the
hundreds Of people with whom he daily
comes in contact know that he is not
perfectly sane.
A reporter heard of this curious case
in the course Of conversation with DIR.
Allan McLane Hamilton, the insanity
expert
s.Unsuspected insanity" said DR..
Hamilton. There is much to be said
about it, which the public ought to
hear. Many man stands upon the
brink of that chasm which it is worse
than death to cross, and though few
words may save them now. all the
doctors of the world may not be able
to bring them back after they have
passed over. What I want to say, in
the hope that it may do some good. re-
lates to the early stages of such cases,
the symptoms of the malady when it is
Just beginning to take hold and may be
shaken of. II were speaking in the
strictest scientific language ! should
deny that person can be wholly sound
except upon a single point, but the ap-
pearance is there. Such men and
women are by no means rare. Their
lunacy is of so subtle a nature as to
defy detection for years. though they
may be hopelessly mad. Take, for in
stance, the case of man who can moi
90 above Fifty-ninth street.. Three OF
four years ago he was going uptown
and was near that street when suddenly
the feeling came over him that hi
would go no further. He yielded to il
and went home. Some fatalistic ides
came over him that a penalty woult
have fallen upon him If he had con
tinued. He brooded upon it till tn
absurd idea had complete possession
of him. OF course there must hav,
been something in his makeup to pre-
dispose him to this madness, but b.
proper care it could have been warde'
of. After while he came to me. H
can talk as nationally on general sub
jects as I can; in fact. he talks ration
ally about his lunacy, admitting that
1t is all folly and nonsense. Hoping
break him Of it took him in carriage
and we drove up to Fifty-ninth street
He begged me not to cross it, and erie
like q baby. l ordered the coachma
to go on. and the unfortunate mono
maniac went into violent hysterics-s
violent, in fact, that gave up the e,
pertinent and decided that nothin
could be done in that way. Now it
Just as bad with ferryboat; SO much
that another physician had fcarf
time trying to make the man cross Il
East river. For all that the man is ST
sane to all appearances and you mig
associate with him for year witho
finding out that any thing was Il
matter. The only thing to be done
such case is to take the man into Il
country, where there will be no FIT
ninth street and no ferry. Let hi
lead q systematic life, with regular Q
cupation and duties The point is tn
he should have begun such treatme
the moment that his delusion appeare
1.-THE danger in all cases OF mon
MANIA" continued DIR. Hamilton.
that they will develop into dangero
forms Homicidal tendencies are {
ways to be feared. Irccall the case
girl who had some apparently har
less delusion, but who suddenly
veloped desire to smother herself q
her rooni-mate with illuminating g
and she came very near doing it. Il
These people are rightly sent
asylums by physicians, and then tn
are liberated By : shcriff's jury,
cause they tell such a straight story
the witness stand. remember str
ing scene that developed from 81
an examination. The friends OF q m
confined ON Wards Island brought b
before = sherifrs jury. He told
story from youth up With the m
painstsking precision. He was - 8
esa rightsnelsd tsianels ~ re =