San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-11
PERIODICAL INSANITY.
A Man Who Is a Maniac for Half an
Hour I'm Every Twenty-Four.


Hour in Every Twenty-Four.
The Tribune correspondent visited Eli
Rider in an iron barred basement room of
st. Anthony's hospital at Effingham, Ills.
1t was just 1888 p. m, and the door of the
room was suddenly closed with bang
and firmly bolted from the outside, leaving
the inmate alone. Rider became frantic
maniac at exactly $40. He ground his
teeth, glared like an enraged beast, bat
tered the walls and door with his clinched
fists, clapped his loosely manacled hands
at intervals, and hurled the pillows and
bedclothes about the apartment with awful
fury. But not a word escaped his lips.
This continued for ten minutes, when he
suddenly and deliberately seated himself
on the floor, and remained in that position,
breathing heavily, for space of five
minutes. Then he abruptly arose, and for
ten minutes more enacted the same mani
acal scene Finally, being attracted by the
light which he beheld at the window, he
cautiously approached, his eyes blazing
and his teeth grating with sound like
that made by castanets. One of the party
called him by name. No reply. "Show
me your teeth said one. Instantly he
opened his mouth. "Are you all right
now, Eli?" another asked.
eyes" in half whisper, hall hiss. Can
we come in?" Yes"
The mans pulse was normal. There was
no symptom Of stupor; no sign of eXhaus-
ton; nothing to indicate diseased CON
dition of mind or body. He is 43 years old;
las five children; no hereditary taints; no
malfOrmations, no bad habits. but he is
illiterate.
DIR. j. b. Walker, the attending physi-
clan, said at is remarkable case of peri
Odic insanity, although in no respect
typical one. For sixteen weeks every night
this man, at precisely $40, has become VIC
lently insane, the attack lasting about half
an hour At all other times he is as ta-
tional as any man. Close study and Oh
Servation have convinced me of the genu-
ineness of his insanity. | have admins
tered as much as sixty grains of choral to
prevent u parOXysm, with no perceptible
effect. He receives a warning of one min
ute before each attack.
In order to test the case Rider was called
before small party at the hospital one
evening, and Dr.. Walker said to him:
Eli, these men are physicians, and we
have concluded, as last resort in your
case, that if you have another attack to-
night it will be necessary for us to burn
your spine along its entire length with Il
red hot iron"
Rider grew pale and strongly objected.
This is severe treatment, it is true, but
necessary if you have another attack as
we have all agreed"
Still he objected. 1t lacked only fifteen
minutes of his time for the spell. In front
of his door an attendant was heating all
iron rod in Il soldering stove. Rider WINGED
as he glanced at it, but entered the room.
An attendant refused to put the straps on
the patient. 1t was T:39.
"Then give me the cuffs" exclaimed the
doctor, and before he had finished the sen
tence Riders teeth were grinding and his
hands were at the throat of a spectator. 4
terrific struggle ensued, and it required
four strong men TO throw hin. to the floor.
The straps We're adjusted, chlOroform was
administered, and in half an hour Rider
was again himself, but ObliviOus of all that
had taken place.-ChicagO Tribune