The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-14
AUTOMATIC AMBULATiON


Peculiar Case Of Double Consciousness
Reported by n Physician.
The very interesting case described
by DIR. donaldson under the tito
Automatic Ambulation," which he
had seen in the clinic of Charcot. is
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 writer's upon
epilepsy, notably Hughlings, Jackson
and Covers. Formerly it was as
serted that such a state of double
consciousness was always post-epi-
leptic phenomenon. Now it is believed
that it may occur as the physical
equivalent of the epileptic attack
An interesting case. which illustrates
this condition, was observed ut my
clinic not very long ago. A young
man, carpenter by trade, who had
occasionally suffered from epileptic at
lacks, related the following history:
usual from work on Thursday night.
and having gone to bed with his
brother, with whom he always slept.
The next thing he remembers is awak-
ening on Fsiday afternoon. at four
O'Clock. and finding himself in Bellevue
Hospital. He had no recollection
whatever of how he got there. and it
was surprise to him not to find him
self in his own room. He learned,
however, subsequently, that he had
gotten up, app lrently as usual. on Fri
day morning, after a quiet night. his
brother being positive that he could not
have had an epileptic attack during
the night. and his family having
noticed nothing unusual in his appear
ance or manner. He had gone to 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. as he had
delivered the package 1T the required
place. His next trace of himself is in
a distant part of the city. in the shop
of plumber, with whom. it seems. he
had picked quarrel and who turned
him over to u policeman. who i'm turn
took him to the statiOn-hOuse, whence
he was sent to 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 we'll.
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 i'm his natural condition. and ap-
pearing to be well, he 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 fatipued 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 total lapse
of consciousness from Thursday night
until Friday afternoon, yet during this
period he had acted as if conscious. and
had found his way as usual to his place
OF work.
1t seems preferable to speak of such
Il 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 it
was a case of malingering. | have no
doubt that others have seen similar
cases, though | can not but believe
that they are very rare. DR.. NJ A.
Starr, in Medical News.