Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-08
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 90 years ago long
wooden box, resembling 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 i'll the box was
not only disagreeable To pass near it. but
that il was a disgrace to allow it 10 re-
main there. A strong sense of duty, said
one of the cOmplainantS, impelled him
TO draw attention to the scandal. The
policeman at once called 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 10 the abbey had complained.
\ still more curious case of the way
in which the Imagination may usurp the
senses of smell and sight Is recorded of
hospital patient. Two Paris medical
men interested i'll this subject of freaks
and delusions of the imagination told
the patient that i'll order to cure him
both his legs would need be amputated.
The man was thunderstruck. Until that
moment he had imagined himself To I've
improving i'll health.
oh. good doctors" lie exclaimed IN
accents of terror, Won have made some
mistake. There is nothing wrong with
me. If my legs are cut off. what will
my poor wife and children do Ia 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 thcaier. and there. without chic
reforming the man. the doctors pretend
cd To proceed with the amputatiun.
All" said the operator. with an a.
sumeI sigh of relief, there's one leg off. 50
oh. holy Virgin Mary. the pain l.
frightful! l am dying" shriekel the pa
tient.
Then the operator hurriedly ''ampu-
tated" the second leg. The patient faint
ed. When he came 10, 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. II was simply
phase-cXaggerat no doubt-of mad
ness produced 10y an imagination too
cruelty played with by the medical men.
Few more striking instances of the
force of imagination have been given
than that in which 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 10y the governor
and other officials Of the Jail.
Now. gentlemen. said the governor.
addressing the condemned men. the
emperor has decrct,l that each Of Won
are L. bc executed in different ways.
Nou. - he pursued. addressing the
first criminal. AR. condemned In swal-
low dose Of poison. while Won. -
turning T. the next. will b. hltyl To-
death, and You" speaking Ia the last
man. who was trembling Violently.
will die from an injection If poison in
the arm"
Each criminal WAS placed i'll q CHAIR.
piniouel and hlindf"ldsei. Then said the
governor. looking at HI. watch:
Now, doctor. Won ;nay begin"
The physician solrIunly poured into 4
cup an evil tasting but harmless liquid
and held II la til" fir~t prisoners mouth.
The man Cliucji,yl his teeth and refused
to drink tin, poison.
Kill me-" he cried Murder mc in
any way but this Before h. cuuld
speak again the jailers seized him and
forced the liquid down his threat.
He 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 next criminal, who trcmbliu.lv
awaited his fate. He chnchtd his teeth.
recovered himself and met the doctors
inquiry. Are you ready" with the
Yes" of a stole. His arm was then
pierced with lancet, though no vein
was opened.
You see how pale he has become"
said the doctor in 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 \ moment the
prisoner shudderod violently. Then he
became still. The doctor looked n the
criminal. bent his ear tOthe mans heart,
and then 10 his disludy found that he
had actually expired.
This unlocked for result, although il
merely anticipated 10y day the actual
hanging of the criminal. at once caused
the experiments tn I've suspended BY
this time the first prisoner had rccov-
cred, as though from a bad dream. but
the third man was heard slowly muir
muring the Lords Prayer ere he received
the poisonous injection. He gave
mad cry of JOY when he learned that his
death would not occur until the morrow.
Another remarkable but less deadly
trick played 10y the imagination Is often
noted. Many people conceive AN aver
sion for some particular flower. IerIur:ge
or color. One man, uutel for this lido
syncrasy, hated green colur>. He had a
notion-how it originated no one can tell
that green was dangerous t. him. Nc-
cordingly he was rarely able L. ~ uut
into the country except at night--MIl-
lion.
A duke during the middle ages was an
independent sovereign. The first rulers
of Austria We're dukes. The titleloSt its
idea of independence during IN" reisn Of
I.ouis Mi Of France.
4 Wide Range.
lis your appetite Capricious:" asked
the physician. who had been called III TO
see Farmer MeidergraSs.
That's what it Is, doctor" replied
the granger. Some lavs eat liverand