The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-09-26
A Tragedy Of Today.
Written for NHws-HRRALp, by Sigel Reush.


"Many of these inmates" said DR..
Thornton, the asylum physician, as we
slowly strolled through the long corridor
of that gruesome institution, "often labor
under strange and unaccountable delu.
sions. Now, for example, there is Electri.
cal Sam, who believes he is human mag.
net, and that unless he keeps himself
thoroughly insulated he will be roasted
alive by the bodily accumulation of
many volts of atmospheric electricity.
He therefore goes about protected by
section of lightning rod, which extends
along his spine to the back of his neck,
where it emerges from underneath his
clothing and terminates in point about
two feet above his head. His bed
stands on pieces OF plate glass, and oc.
casionally when the air is unusually
surcharged with this electrical fluid, he
he asks for the additional protection of
of rubber coat"
"Then, Doctor, you humor these fan.
cies when they manifest themselves in
your patients ?"
"Oh, yes; always when practicable.
1t soothes and gratifies the poor deluded
creatures, and in those cases amenable
to treatment, aids very materially in af-
fecting permanent cure. To illustrate,
not long ago we had under treatment an
ignorant washer woman, who came to
the institution under the impression
that she was possessed of the devil-not
one Of your sentimental, spiritual devils,
but a material cloven. hoofed imp of
satan, who had established himself
somewhere within her anatomical econ
omy, and who amused himself by CON
stantly botherin' her insides,' as she
laconically expressed it. No amount of
reasoning would have convinced her of
the absurdity of her delusion, so we set
about at once making preparations to
dislodge her fancied tormentor from his
portly fortification.
"After being drenched with harmless
medicines and carefully dieted for few
days, she was taken into a dark room
and given an emetic. The imp, in the
guise of a little pig, which had been
previously smuggled into the room, was
soon routed, when timely twist of his
inoffensive tail revealed his presence to
the now overjoyed patient. Her hal.
lucination vanished at once, and she
was soon again peacefully plying her
daily vocation at the well worn wash
tub.
"Now, here is another harmless, butin
this instance, apparently permanent
case of monomania. This patient has
now been here for over light years, dur.
ing the most of which time she has fan.
cied herself the occupant of the throne
of England. Aside from the belief that
she is Queen Victoria, she is perfectly
sane. Let us call on this distinguished
parsonage"
As we entered observed at one end
OF the room, seated on wooden struc.
ture which crudely represented throne,
middle aged and rather fine looking
woman. Her hair was snowy white,
her complexion clear and rosy and her
features we'll moulded and regular. In
cheap grade of royal purple she seem.
ed not half bad queen as she arose and
graciousIy saluted Dr. Thornton, who in
turn made most elaborate courtesy.
"Ma, it please your Gracious Majesty to
meet your loyal subjects Old lrield and
classmate, DR.. Norwood, who is now
practicing the profession OF the healing
art in western province of your Maj.
esty's realm?"
With most regal smile of recognition
and truly courtly bow, this pseudo
queen gave me greeting, and I, taking my
cue from the situation, returned the salu.
tation with great solemnity, concious all
the while that was acting like sim.
pering idiot. Not knowing exactly what
to say, and feeling all the while that my
own reason was tottering, 1 stepped
aside while DR.. Thornton conversed for
a few moments with England sovereign,
with all the seriousness and gravity that
the occasion demanded. After solemnly
taking leave of Her Majesty, and regain.
inf the corridor again, we fell to discus.
sing the subtlety of the human mind.
eyes" said DR.. Thornton, "that psy.
chic power, that intangible influence
which wills, chooses, governs and rea-
sons, is most delicately and fearfully
poised. Like the quivering needle of
the compass, it is often most strangely
and unaccountably affected. After all,
insanity is merely relative term, vary
ing in degree rather than difference.
We are all more or less insane, either
permanently, periodically or temporar.
lily. Various terms are employed to de.
note the several degrees. For instance,