The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-03-07
CURIOUS PHENOMENA.
SEVERAL VERY REMARKABLE CASES
OF "MULTiPLEX PERSONALITY"

An Extremely PerpIexing Cause.-The
Three Lives of Louis v-The Theory of
Ohsession-The "watseka Wonder"
An Obscure Subject.
4 dispatch from Norristown, Pa, gives an
account of curious case which has come to
light there, and which, if the circumstances
are stated, probably belongs TO a class
which has been growing for some years with
rather diSquieting speed. Some two months
ago stranger came to Norristown, rented a
store, stocked it and began business There
was nothing in bis conduct or bearing 70 at
tract attention, and he lived with perfect
quietness until one evening neighbor was
startled by the appearance of the newcomer
in a bewildered state, asking where he was
Then be declared that he knew nothing Of his
sojourn in NorriStowA; that he was a Rhode
Island clergyman; that two months ago he
left his home on some business, drew some
money out CT the bank and then lost recollec-
ton until he found himself in the Pennsyl-
vania town. Not many years ago a story
like this would have been secuted save by a
few students in advance of the tune. Now,
thanks chiefly to the Investigations Of French
medical science it is generally known that what
Mr.. Alfred Myers happily terms "multplex
personality" is genuine though extremely
perplexing phenomenon. DrS. Charcot, Richer
AZam, Ribot, NoiSin, Camuset, etc. have for a
number of years studied this class of cases. and
in the records of the now historical ones of Fal-
ida y and Louis V are TO be found all and
more than all the peculiarities of the case Of
Ansel Bourne.
LIVED THREE LIVES.
Louis V lived three lives, separated from
one another by commissions. These fits COW
cred the changes from one personality 10 an
other; and there was a change of personality,
for the whole character was radically altered.
Thus IN one state the patient was moroSe,
suspicious, dishonest, while in another he was
frank, cheerful, amiable and upright Similar
phenomena were observed in the case Of Fe-
linda y, though her popularity is that the
somnambulic state has become the normal or
prevalent one, while what was the normal
state is the occasional one. AS this change
has improved her character much, it is not to
be regretted. In all insane asylums cases are
found of loss or exchange of personality and
often the insanity consists almost wholly in
such exchange
Tbs revelations of science, however ara
approaching point which bears directly on
alienism. Hereafter it may be necessary to
realize that the substitution of one person
atty for another does not demonstrate mad.
ness, but possible psychical disease as sus.
ceptible of cure many bodily ailments
Hypnotism Is the key with which these mys-
teries of multiplex personality are being I'M
locked slowly, and while as yet the mode OF
operation is not perceived it is established that
the influence, magnetic or otherwise, does
tako hold of these peculiar psychioal con-
ditions and modifies them benefcially.
1850 -. OTHER STRANGE CASES
There are many strange cases which come
under this category, and DR.. Hammond re-
Gently discussed some of them in The Forum
That OF the dry goods bookkeeper who few
months ago stepped out of his place of bust
ness in this city and came to himself, 90 a
were, in Washington several weeks later, APP
pears to have been of the same kind In all
such cases it is to be observed that there is a
continuity of physical control and also Of
mental action. The personality is sometimes
changed, but though the normal identity dis
appears, another instantly supplants it. The
man does not become bewildered He only
becomes another man. He is able to go about
some business, to act so as not to attract at
tention; in some instances to take up and
carry on a new line of purpose and thought.
Phenomena of this character formerly were
held applicable only by the theory Of obses-
sion by free spirit. The Interpretation was
at least Ineligible, granting tho premises,
and the Spiritualists have "a staple illustra-
ton, known as the "WatSeka Wonder in
which young girl was "obsessed" by the
spirit or another, and chang ed her person
atty for some months. The French scientists,
and perhaps Mr.. Myers also, would reject the
"obsession" theory and necessarily from their
point Of view, but they certainly have not
succeeded in showing how or why these
strange metamorphoses occur. The hypothe-
sis that we all carry about with US the poten-
TALLY of any number of personalities, which,
or any one or more of them, may be set in
activity by some fortuitous pressure upon 9
particular part of the brain, is, to say the
least, unpleasant to contemplate, and the
more so inasmuch az nobody appears capable
of suggesting any method by which such
mysterious interferences with personality can
be prevented Altogether it is a remarkable
and deeply interesting, but decidedly obscure
sub2e;A -tigw York Tribune.