The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-04
EFFECTS OF La GRIPPE.
oEr.UsIoNAL INSANITY CAUSED
AND CURED BY IT.

sachuSett5 Hospital DlScnarBeo as
Cured After Having the Influenza
From the Nelc York sun.
RosroS, April PA new phase of la
rrippe's mysterious influence in just now
Interesting the medical profession of Massa-
cb,,sstts. Bad as it was in its dreadful work,
i, has at the same time wrought what seems
m be a miracle at the state insane hospital
A. Westboro. The cases described by DIR.
n z. Paine, the superintendent of the hos
nital. furnish some of the most singular
nbenomena in the study Of mental disorders
and curative virtue of disease upon disease.
Ia grippe swept through the Westboro in
sane hospital just as it did through other
institutions, and while some succu nbed to
ITS ravages, others, seven in number, not
only recovered health, but reason as well.
This singular result is told by DIR. Paine as
follows:
zone female patient, a case of mania, had
been in the hospital about nine months.
When she became feverish, her excited and
incoherent speech left her and she became
rational. She was discharged on Jan. % as
recovered, and l have heard within few
DAYS that she continues perfectly well. This
was her fifth attack of insanity, the two
preceding attacks having lasted in one case
twenty-three and The other sixteen months.
It appears possible that her mental disease
was cured by the influenza, and, moreover,
in about one-half its anticipated duration.
Another female patient, who was very
destructive of clothing, furniture, etc.,
became rational during and after
the fever, and continued SO
until her discharge on March %. She had
remained thirteen months in the hospital,
and we feared she would not recover. In
her case, also, the disease was acute mania,
and was recurrent as in the preceding case.
This was her third at ack of insanity. A
third patient, q woman, was a case of acute
mania of puerperal origin, who was violent,
destructive, incoherent and noisy until she
passed into dementia. The fever of the
influenza frightened ner mentally and she
continued to improve until she was dis
charged about a week ago to her own
home. Her disease lasted two years
and one month in the hospital.
This termination was entirely unex-
pected The fourth female patient was
also a case of acute mania who had passed
into dementia. She could not read or write
or remember much of her past. She was
untidy. and had apparently passed beyond
any hope OF recovery. The same natural
action of the mind appeared during and
after the influenza, and now she is tidy, an
swers questions correctly, and is rational in
her conversation. She will probably go to
her home before long. She has been in the
hospital one year and niue months. 1t is
noticeable of these four women that ali had
entered the hospital with acute mania, and
that two of them had afterward passed into
dementa. 1t is remarkable that the last two
were lifted ont of their hopeless condition
by anything short of death.
LET us now consider the men. A male
patient had been in the hospital eight
months had decisions of suspicion, believed
that his food was poisoned, that poison was
sprinkled on him at night. He heard false
voices and showed no sign of improvement.
After the influenza he lost his decisions and
talked about them as something that had
passed. They have occasionally thrust
themselves upon him since his illness, and
he appears to be now in a suitable condition
for trial at home. Another male patient
has been in the hospital about thirteen
months. He was also suspicious, thought
his food was poisoned, had Authorizations of
hearing and also of sight. He often COM
planned of bright phosphorescent
light, which was globular, and which
appeared at night as well as
during the day in his room, as we'll as
out of doors He has been at home about
seven weeks, and continues to do we'll The
third and last male patient was compost
tor in one of the leading papers, doing night
work. Overwork and drink probably occa-
stoned his insanity. He would refuse to
eat, because his food was poisoned. He
heard voices talking with him constantly,
and was becoming demented. He never
read books or papers, seldom spoke, was
untidy in his habits, and seemed to have
passed beyond any chance of recovery. He
showed decided gain Immediately after the
fever, his mind regained its strength, and
he left about four weeks ago entirely we'll
He had been in the hospital eleven
months. 1t is strange that the
three men were all similar in the
character of their disease, having de-
lusional insanity, with hallucination
of hearing, which is form of insanity gen.
orally considered incurable, and from which
only a small proportion recover. While it
Is too soon to state positively that all will
remain well, it is certain that five of the
seven have left the hospital with as good
prospects Of remaining at home and caring
for themselves as in the majority OF patients
discharged. Here, then, are seven of the
eighty-slx patients attacked by the inhu-
enza who have recovered, or about s per
cent. Much more important, however, is
this conclusion that five of the seven would
never have recovered if the epidemic had
passed off without entering the hospital.
In sharp contrast to the good fortune of
UnOS6 JuSU menGlOueO are lOuT PERSONS al
mitted during the last few weeks whose
insanity is ascribed to influenza. Two of
them were men who have recovered and
gone home. OF the two women, one is still
suffering with acute mania, and is durable,
The other came with paraplegia in addition
to acute mania. She is improving and may
recover. In looking back over the cpl
demic one point is worth noticing.
that the employees were more liable
TO the disease than tho patients.
The average number of patients
was $50, of employees and their families 1876,
or ABOUT 80 per cent. Of the 1876 there
we're go affected, or Al per cent, an excess of
II per cent. One of the curious features of
the disease was that delirium was limited
to the young and the employees, for example,
q boy of years, one of 9 years, another of
Il, and girl of IA; of the employees,
farmer of Is years, aud three female nurses,
each one about 90 years of age; or, putting
the same statement in another way, of the
20 insane having influenza, none were delir-
ious.
One disease causes insanity; another
comes and cures it. Here is a case of in
sanity produced by erysipelas, and driven
OUT by rheumatism. In December, 1886. an
unmarried woman, IS years Of ege, was ad-
United to the hospital. being transferred
from Danvers. She had been sent 10 that
hospital in February, 1885, the apparent
cause OF insanity being erysipelas. When
cue was admitted TO the Westboro hospital
sne talked incoherently, and seldom could