The herald., 1893-06-02
DUAL PERSONALITY.
RESIDUAL PHENOMENA OF THE MIND
IN SANE PEOPLE.


Evidence is not wanting to show that
what we call personality is an extremely
complex thing, the sum of subsidiary per-
sonalities which now shift and change
like the figures in kaleidoscope, and
again becoming sharply defined under
come abnormal condition crystallize into
two or more distinct groups of elements,
which alternately sleep and wake or
even coexist. These complex elements
may be SO unstable, the groups compos-
ing them constantly breaking up and
forming new combinations, that the idea
OF multiple personality does not natural
ly attach itself TO them; 1t is only when
they become stable, and especially when
each exhibits well defined conscious
ness that we begin to think Of such
thing. But besides the abnormal and
diseased conditions which cause such
separation or capitalization there are
other conditions in which in appears
somewhat less distinctly. To one class
of these ! desire to call attention very
briehy-to that embracing what may be
called cases of residual personality.
Residual phenomena of all kinds are
particularly interesting and instructive,
especially those where the few things re-
naming in a group after many have been
removed differ widely In their collective
properties from those that have been
taken away, while these latter are not
In any way distinguishable from those
Of the sum of both before the division.
This is the case often with residual per-
sonality. Nothing is more common. than
for group of elements in what we call
person to be differentiated in one Of
various ways, leaving behind residual
group differing altogether in it's charac-
teristics, though the differentiated group
represents to us and is considered to
be identical with the original person.
The commonest method of such differ
entiation is sleep. The elements Of
sleep are, as it were, subsfracted from
the normal personality, but there is
usually left behind very curious some
thing illogical credulous, fantastic
whose nightly experiences the whole re-
united person recollects in the morning
as dreams. The next commonest case IS
that of the absentminded person. The
major part of the person being absorbed
in mental processes of some sort, the re-
sidual person lives its own separate men
tai life, thinks, feels and wills by itself,
and perhaps carries on train Of proc
esses which is continuous with preced-
ing train carried on under similar cir
cumstances the day before.
This residual person may act very
mechanically. The reunited person may
fail to recollect what itsacts or thoughts
were and be surprised to find how it has
been making use of his limbs while he
what he vainly regards as the one un
alterable ego--has been absorbed in
thought. But, on the other hand, 1t may
be perfectly conscious and may carry
on an entirely different train of thought
of ita oru,, Al,rsr<4 --1------ i.------------ "A
one point or another.
For instance, suburban resident,
whom we will cali A, is accustomed on
landing at the New York side Of the
ferry to abandon the mechanical task Of
walking to his Office entirely to his resid-
ual personality and 10 give up the major
part Of himself to thought. The two per-
sonalities act often with perfect--always
with neutrality-suspicious. theresidual
person being quite equal to the low task
Of evading vehicles, steering clear of pass.
ersby and turning the proper corners.
When the Office Is reached and the two
persons again become one, IL is often q
difficult task to remember any circum-
stances Of the walk.
On one occasion, however, A left the
Astor library on Lafayette place, as he
supposed, intending to walk down Clin-
ton place. To do this he must turn first
to the left, then to the right and then
again to the left. He turned once to the
left, and after some time became dimly
conscious that he had walked for long
time, and that the place for the second
turn had not been reached.
Coming to himself, he found himself
tar down Broadway. Tracing back his
course mentally, he discovered that he
had been in the Mercantile library in
stead of the Astor. His first turn there
fore had taken him down Broadway, and
pc of course did not reach the place for
the second. Mark now the pecu1iarities
Of his residual person. 1t knew just
where 1t was to turn and In what direc-
ton, and had sense enough to be uneasy
when it did not come to the proper place
TO turn, but it had not intelligence
enough to know that 1t was on the wrong
street Its mind was too weak to be
trusted further than 1t was accustomed
TO go. This residual person, in short,
was about on a par with harmless idiot
Again, B, a New Yorker, is walking
along absorbed in process of thought
when his residual personality sees his
friend 9 approaching. 1t is not aston
lshed, for he is near Cs lodgings. but as
che person supposed to be 9 comes near
sr, it sees that he only slightly resembles
O. He has on shabby clothes, and his
face is entirely different. The natural
conclusion would be that the person ap-
preaching was not O. The residual per-
son, however, does not argue thus. It
poncludes that @ has greatly changed,
that he has become poor and that his
appearance has altered for the worse
Pity and surprise are plainly felt by
the residual person. During these men,
tai processes, SO similar to those Of
dream residual. the major person has
kept on with his own train of thought.
Finally, however, on the close approach
Of the supposed G, they unite in fash
into the normal person, the two separate
bonsciousnesses become one, and the
truth is recognized at once. No doubt
these cases can be parallaled hv tho,1-