Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-31
CHAPTER /.
THE PATIENT

pAhklC bAN N NuAh-
ing restlessly from one serious face to
the other. A single sentiment in the
timid trembling of the pale lips, in the
expression of the delicate nostrils, in the
nervous contraction of the brows that
accompany it.
For a mind which betrays itself in q
countenance such as this, all the posi-
bilities of existence, all that remains Of
life and happiness, can be summed up in
one terrible word-fear. Henceforth
this was all that the infinite world of
thought and all the endless pleasure Of
being could mean to this poor taeature.
In the midst of the sunshine, the free
air, the song of the birds, the whisper
of lovers, the voices of friendship, she
must continue to live on as unconscious
of them all as if her life had been mar
rowed down to the darkest dungeon Of
an inquisition
To deprive face that beams with
intelligence and beauty Of the one light
that makes it priceless, to blot out in
the twinkling Of an eye that unmeasurod
universe that exists in the brain of an
individual and leave in its place soli-
tary candle like this glimmering in the
q measureless crime! And
such crime has been committed. Does
1t add anything to the depth Of the in
fanny or to the burden of the guilt that
the poor victim was but 10 and had
been struck down in the fullness of
health and strength?
The patient sat on the edge Of the bed
from which she had lately arisen in an
alcove chamber opening into large
apartment, furnished like sitting room.
Two grave and interested physicians,
one gray haired and advanced in years,
the other of middle age, were watching
her There was no evidence that either
of these men comprehended anything of
the unutterable pathos Of the situation.
Their problem was purely physiolog-
ical one. The moral aspects Of the case
concerned them only where they aided
q diagnosis. The ceaseless, uneasy mo-
tion Of the poor girls hands, clasping
and unclasping themselves in her lap,
the pathetic cry, without an attempt at
articulation, that she uttered from time
to time, these were the matters that in
terested them.
II have observed very curious
thing" the elder physician was saying.
"It is possible, of course, that l may be
mistaken, but if am not then this girl
possesses q curious power in remark
able degree" "
The younger man repeated the phrase
with no little wonder, "a curious pow
er?"
eyes, very curious power, should
say, Of what, for want of better term,
I will call optical retention. You know
what mean?"
"No."
II mean the faculty Of retaining q
scene In the mind after the eyes are
closed Or the scene removed. We all
have it in varying degrees. You men,
tion the writing table at my office, and
Immediately all image, tolerably dis
tinct, Of the size, shape and general ap-
pearance Of the table rises before my
mental vision. I mean simply, if this
girl We're familiar with the looks Of that
table and she could be made to under
stand what am talking about. she
would see the object in question SO vivid
ly that it would be to her almost the
reality-perhaps, might say, practical
ly the reality"
The younger physician regarded the
speaker in silent wonder.
"You don't take my meaning?"
"Oh, perfectlyl My term for it is Wis
ualization. What puzzles me is that you
should see any evidences Of it here.
What has she done to show it?"
"Not any one thing SO much as every
thing. generalize it from careful OBJ
servation of her movements.
"Do you call it symptom?"
"No-that is, don't know. 1t may
be abnormal, or it may be natural to
her in state Of health. have studied
several cases. One, q very young child
who could find his way unerringly about
familiar place blindfolded. His family
called 1t instinct, but it was simply a
phenomenal power Of retaining the pio-
ture Of the room in his mind, combined
with an accurate idea Of distance. Un-
seen by him, disarranged the furniture,
and he lost his head at once"
eyes, but I didn't suppose an idiot
could possess such faculty.
''Nor I. But is this an idiot?"
"Hum-ha"- The younger physician
was altogether too cautious to commit
himself but he fixed upon the pale face
of the patient look of doubt and un-
certainty that was plain enough of It,
self He shrank as much as did his gray
haired colleague from the humiliating
confession, II don't understand the case
at all,
The elder physician was certainly In
no haste to pronounce verdict. Called
for the purpose Of aiding his younger
associate to arrive at definite conclu'
sion as to the nature of the mysterious
malady under which the patient suf'
1etStk, l0 ilttA uo yCo AOlAoAhONt lAoAh Va
pressing an opinion, and now he spoke
in the most guarded and cautious man
ner:
1T seems to me, Lamar, that the
problem in this case narrows itself dowr
to question as to whether the patient
present condition is due to the blow SHE
is known to have received upon the heaC
OF to the purely mental results Of thu
terror caused by the accident
Surely" said the younger man,
"you do not wish me to understand thai
you believe 1t even possible that such {
condition should be the result of simph
terror or pure mental action Of any kind.
It seems almost certain to me that thert
was some structural or functional disor
der prior to tho acddent.
Every possibly. rdid not say TO tht
l q