The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-11-21
ACUTE IMAGINATION.
INSTANCES OF TRICKS THE BRAIN
HAS PLAYED ON MORTALS.

Were Cruel In Their Treatment and Re-
suited FatalIy-Insanity Produced by
Fright.
1t is said that some 20 years ago a long
wooden box, resembling a plain pauper's
coffin, might be seen inside the north
aisle of Westminster abbey. FOr two
days it was passed without notice by the
many people who visited the minister.
Then complaints were made to the police
officer at the door that the smell arising
from the body contained in the box was
not only disagreeable to pass near it, but
that it was a disgrace to allow 1t to re-
main there. a strong sense of duty, said
one of the compliments, impelled him
to draw attention to the scandal. The
policeman at once called a verger, who
found on inquiry that the box was
empty and had never been used to con-
ceal a corpse. However, he had the box
removed, and in this way prevented the
recurrence of the hOrrid smells of which
visitors to the abbey had complained.
A still more curious case of the way
in which the imagination may usurp the
senses of smell and sight is recorded of a
IDS DlLdi pdIICIIG. W. L dLIo CNAC
men interested in this subject of freaks
and decisions Of the imagination told
the patient that in order to cure him
both his legs would need be amputated.
The man was thunderstruck. Until that
moment he had imagined himself to be
improving in health.
"Oh! good DOCTORS" he exclaimed in
accents Of terror, "yOu ave made some
mistake. There is nothing wrong with
me. If my legs are cut off, what will
my poor wife and children do to get
their daily bread?'
Il am very sorry, my good fellow"
responded one Of the medical men, "but
your life depends upon the operation"
The patient was wheeled into the Oper-
ating theatcr, and there, without chic
reforming the man, the doctors pretend
ed to proceed with the amputation.
"Ah," said the operator, with an as
sumed sigh of relief, there's one leg Off"
ooh, holy Virgin Mary, the pain is
frightful! | am dying" shrieked the pa
tient.
Then the operator hurriedly "ampu-
tated" the second leg. The patient faint
ed. When he came to, the doctors were
Mortified to find that he had become in
sane He actually believed himself to
be legless. Two months after the pre-
tended operation he died. Up to his last
moments he believed that his lower limbs
had gone. In this case there was no sus-
picion Of hypnotism. 1t was simply a
phase-exaggerated. nc dOubt-Of mad
ness produced by an imagination too
cruelty played with by the medical men.
Few more striking instances of the
force of imagination have been given
han hat in which a German physician
tried an experiment on three criminals
condemned to death. To complete the
illusion he entered the large cell in
which for the purpose the prisoners were
placed, accompanied by the governor
and other officials of the Jail.
Now, gentlemen" said the governor,
addressing the condemned men, 1.-The
emperor has decreed that each of you
are to be executed in different ways.
You, - he pursued, addressing the
first criminal, ARE condemned to swal-
low a dose of poison, while you, -"
turning to the next, "will be bled t 0
death, and YOU speaking to the last
man, who wa trembling violently,
will die from an injection Of poison in
the arm"
Each criminal was placed in a chair,
pinioned and blindfolted. Then said the
governor, looking at his watch:
"NOw, doctor, you may begin"
The physician solemnly poured into a
cup an evil tasting but harmless LIQUID
and held it to the first prisoners mouth.
The man clinched his teeth and refused
to drink the poison.
Kill me- he cried. ''Murder me in
any Way but this Before he could
speak again the j~ailers seized him and
forced the liquid down his throat.
lie will be dead in two minutes"
whispered the doctor to the governor.
The criminal heard the remark and
gave a blood Curdling shrek. When
the doctor turned round, he saw that |
the man apparently tainted. He turned
to the mex criminal, who tremblingly
awaited his fate. He Cliuched his teeth,
recovered himself and met the doctors
inquiry, Are You ready with the
Eyes" Of q stole. His arm was then
pierced with a lancet, though no vein
was opened.
You see how pale he has become"
said the doctor III the mans hearing. |
He is losing blood rapidly" The ply
stefan went on describing the symptoms
and at length pronounced the words,
NOW he's DYING" For a moment the |
prisoner shuddered violently. Then he
became still. The doctor looked at the
criminal, bent his ear to the mans heart,
and then to his dismay found that he |
had actually expired.
This unlocked for result, although it |
merely anticipated by a day the actual
hanging of the criminal, at once caused
the experiments to be suspended. BY
this time the first prisoner had recov-
cred, as though from a bad dream. but
the third man was heard slowly muir
muring the Lords Prayer ere he received
the "p~OisOn>us' injection. He gave a
mad cry of JOY when he learned that his
death would not occur until the morrow.