The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-05-25
SURGERY TO THE FRONT.
KIeptomaniacs and Drunkards to Be
Cured by Saving Their Skulls.

DR.. G. L. Armstrong claims to have
cured three cases of kleptomania late
ly by trephining. In speaking to a
Cincinnati Enquirer reporter he said
that the day is not far distant when
not only kleptomania, but dipsomania
also, can be cured by the surgeons
trephining saw. He claims it will
be possible to take any thief for sub
ject and by operation make an honest
man of him; also to render the drunk
process. The argument used is that
certain portions Of the brain are indi-
cative of or control certain propensi-
ties. Even the maniac has hope un-
der the system of surgery advocated
by DR.. Armstrong. He is conscious of
the fact that certain people will scott
at his ideas and declare his claims
fallacious, but such is the case in ev-
cry new departure, and sure indica-
tiOn of merit is where the theme moot
ed attracts general comment and no
tice.
He says that of the three patients
cured by him thus far two were wom-
en-. One of these was Miss Murphy,
whose home is on York street. This
subject fell and injured her skull in
early life, and as soon as her faculties
began to develop it was very notice
able that tendency to dishonesty was
part of her nature. This propensity
strengthened as she advanced in life.
She would appropriate everything she
could get her fingers on, and she was
brought to the doctor and he discover
ed part of the skull pressing in up
on the brain. He removed the sunken
bone and the woman was rendered
honest.
The other subject to whom he re-
ferred was designing sneak-thief, as
rapacious as she was scheming. The
bone covering her bump of dishonesty
was taken away and she was cured.
The third subject was a cigarmaker
who was an eager thief, whose moral
redemption was admitted to be impos-
sible. The result accomplished in this
case was as satisfactory as in the other
two.
DR.. Armstrong says that the brain
will be studied minutely, and all the
passions located before the system is
brought to perfection. He states that
a fracture can and does cause per-
version of the tendencies in many
cases. More than this, stalagmite
or other formation in the brain may
have a similar effect. 1t is highly
unnecessary for the skull to be injured
the wicked trait may be caused by
natural brain pressure. In this
case the trephining process still stands
good.
Prof. Joseph Ransohoff, who lectures
on surgery at the Ohio Medical col
lege, said that it is possible to cure
kleptomania by the trephining, and
that it has been successfully done
where there has been an injury to the
skull. "But," sid the doctor, "we do
not know in what region of the brain
kleptomania is located, and could not
trephine for case where there was no
injury to the skull. The day may
come when trephining will solve many
problems"
Anumber of prominent scientists are
studying the subject, and, strange as
it may seem, it has been stated as not
improbable that in the future an in
stitution for curing thieves and drunk
ards by saving out piece of the skull
may be started. 1t has also been sag
gested that, should the new cure be
perfectly successful, municipalities
could save money by having known
thieves operated upon.