Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-03-02
STUDIES IN HYSTERIA
Professor Who Makes the Nerves OF
People HIS Playthings.

People His Playthings.
Prof. Charcot. the renowned special
ist of diseases of the nervous system,
performed some striking experiments
on hysterical subjects in the course of
a lecture delivered at the Salpetriere
Asylum. The lethargic girl is one of
Prof. Charcot's pet subjects. She re-
mains constantly in the hospital, and
on special occasions the servant
demonstrates the wonderful power he
has over her. So sensitive is her tenn
permanent that he can at his will throw
her into the profound lethargy in
which she lay on this occasion.
He first stated that this young wom-
an was in stage Of hysteria radical
ly different from that of her companion.
She was like an inert mass; her mus
cles were all relaxed and it was impos-
sible for any member of her body to
retain fixed position without support
There was also marked difference
in the condition of the nervous system
of the two women. The one was keen
ly sensitive, the other apparently dead.
In each case the professor pressed a
pencil upon the fac;el nerve which lies
directly in front of the ear. This had
not the slightest effect upon the woman
in the historical sleep, whereas the
face of the Young girl instantly lighted
up in a smile. Curiously enough, she
1,l 4 I,
sure was applied.
1t was the same with other
nerves. The lethargic girl would
raise her hand when the operator
pressed upon the radical nerve above
the elbow joint. When the mesial
nerve, near the former, was touched
her arm would spring up in a pugi-
listic attitude. with the fist tightly
clenched, and on applying the pencil
to what is vulgar.y known us the
funny bone" she would lift her arm
as if prOnouncing a benedictiOn, the
first and second fingers of the hand
being raised heayenward. Nothing of
this sort had any effect upon the other
subject.
An experiment with the gong, which
had been vainly beaten above the first
patient, produced a startling effect in
this case. The Chef de Clinique had
struck but a single blow on the sound
ing brass when the young girl started
up as by an electric shock. She sat
straight up, with her eyes wide open,
and but for their fixed, stony gaze
one might have fancied her awake
She had passed in an instant from the
state of lethar9y into that of cata-
lepsy. She neither moved nor spoke.
Prof. CharcOt proceeded to show
that pressure upon the nerves no long
Ell produced muscular contraction. We
were in the presence Of a new set Of
phenomena. The professor lifted the
girls right hand to her lips, as if she
were throwing q kiss. Instantly the
unconscious association of ideas caused
the right side of the face to smile. Il
was the same when the left hand was
raised, and when both hands touched
her ps the entire face radiated tho
minds happy thought. The young
gentlemen present enjoyed this greatly.
A frown was produced with equal
facility. Clenching one OF the fists
caused scowl to pass over the cor
responding side of the face, and the
professor succeeded by combining the
two processes in making her smile on
one side and frOwn on the other. No
one who saw this extraordinary con-
tOrtion could for a moment question
the genuineness of the ration,
Still more extraordinary was the fa.
cility with which Prof. Charcot made
his patient pass back from catalepsy
to lethargy. This he accomplished by
simply closing the lids and pressing
gently on one or both of her eyes. By
touching the right eye he changed the
girls right side into the lethargic con-
clifton while leaving the left side under
the influence of catalepsy.
He demonstrated to the satisfaction
of all that such was really the case
The right eye was closed, while the
left remained staring open. The nerves
on the right side responded to press
ure, while those on the left remained
dead. One side of the body was rigid
while the other was inert. Through
all this the patient never uttered 4
sound. Having sufficiently estab ished
the existence of this dual state the
professor pressed simultaneously upon
both Of the girls eyes, when she fell
back on the pillow like a lump Of lead.
The final experiment consisted in
waking the lethargic girl. This was
easily done by breathing sharply in
her face. She started up, glanced
about her in a dazed way,-and then,
realizing hGGttt-~she was only half
dressed before a crowd of jovial med
ical students, she seized her scattered
garments and disappeared from the
scene with astonishing rapidity.-
Paris Herald.
Truly Admirable Grace.
1t is one thing to be right ones self;
it is another thing to win others to the
right. One person who holds firmly