Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-30
AUTOMATIC AMeuLAnon.
A Peculiar Case OF Double Consciousue,
Reported by Physician.

Az OMA IL AM6OIA11ON.
A Peculiar Case OF Double Consciousness,
Reported by Physician.
The very interesting case described
BY DIR. Donaldson under the title
Automatic Ambulation, which he
had seen in the clinic of Charcot. ia
not without parallel. as the doctor sup
poses. The condition OF the patient,
in which. though seemingly rational.
he was really suffering from lapse Of
consciousness, is one which has been
described by several writers upon
epilepsy, notably Hughhngs, jackson
and Covers Formerly it was as
serted that such q state OF double
consciousness was always post-epi-
ieptc Phenomenon. Now is believed
that 1t may occur as the physical
equivalent OF the epileptic attack.
An interesting case. which illustrates
this condition, was observed at my
clinic not very long ago. A Young
man, a carpenter by trade. who had
occasionally suffered from epleptic at
tacks. related the following history:
He remembered having come home a,
usual from work on Thursday njght.
and having gone to bed with his
brother. with whom he always slept
The next thing he remembers rs awak-
ening on Friday afternoon, al four
o'clock and finding himself in Bellevue
Hospital. He had no recollection
whatever of how he got there. and i,
was surprise to him not 10 End him
self in his own room. He learned,
however, subsequently, that ne had
gotten up, apparently rs usual. on FRI
day morning. after quiet night his
brother being positive that ne could not
have had an epileptic attack during
the night. and his family having
noticed nothing unusual in his appear
ance or manDer. He had gone 10 his
work as usual, and had been sent BY
the foreman upon an errand, involving
a walk of sixteen blocks, which errand
he had partly carried out. rs he had
delivered the package ut the required
place. His next trace OF himself is in
q distant part of the city. in tho shop
OF plumber, with whom IL seems, he
had picked quarrel, and who turned
him over to policeman. who in turn
took him TO the station-house, whence
he was sent 10 the Bellevue Hospital.
The police justice sent him TO the hos
pital because he appeared TO be bewil-
dered, but not drunk, as he answered
questions intelligibly, and could walk
perfectly, and yet did not seem weii-
When he reached the hospital he was
put TO bed. and soon fell asleep. When
the physician came to examine him
soon after. he was awakened. and then
was in his natural condition. and APP
pearing to be well, be was discharged
and came home.
There appeared to be no evidence
that the boy had had a fit; his tongue
was not bitten, he was not fatigued as
he had been after other attacks. He
was very intelligent, and took an in-
terest in his condition, finding out the
facts which have been related. There
had, undoubtedly, been a totai ''ispse
OF consciousness" from Thursday night
until Friday afternoon, yet during this
period he had acted as IL conscious. and
bad found his way as usual to his place
of work.
Ii seems preferable TO speak OF such
a state as one OF double consciousness.
rather than as one OF lapse of conscious
ness, though there is certainly lapse
of memory. He has had no subsequent
attack to my knowledge, having been
treated with bromides as for epilepsy.
A somewhat similar case has recently
come under my observation in consul
tation, but various circumstances sub
sequently discovered by the attending
physician led us both To decide that il
was case of malingering. have no
doubt that others have seen similar
cases, though | can not bat believe
that they are very rare--Dr. M. A.
Starr, An Medical News.