The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-05

A PERFECTLY SANE MAN WHO CAN
NOT LOCATE HIS RESIDENCE.


Memory Seems Sound ON All Other Sub
jects-TAlks Of Son and Daughter.
There is man in the medical ward
Of Bellevue hospital, New York, who
does not know where he lives. He has
been there since March 90, except at
intervals when attendants Of the hospi-
tai have accompanied him about the
city i'll efforts to see if he could recog-
nize his residence. All of these efforts
have been in vain. The man is perfectly
conscious, has rare intelligence. and on
every subject except that Of the loca-
tion of his home he talks fuently and
coherently.
Professors and doctors are greatly
puzzled by the strange case. They have
investigated and reinvestigated for
weeks together, but without results.
Professor Dana, the expert in nervous
diseases, is also mystified; so are DR..
Gardner of the medical section Of Belle
vue and Drs. Fitch and Wildman Of
the insane pavilion of tho hospital.
Professor Frankel of the Postgraduate
hospital is also unable to account for
the peculiar form Of this mans mental
| malady.
1t was on March % that this psyche.
logical mystery walked into Bellevue.
He appeared 10 be somewhat dazed from
the effects of strong drink. He was
weak and tottering when he was
brought into the presence of DIR. Mel
son. To the doctor he said that his
name was Anse Kaufman and that his
age was AS years.
/" / am a grocer" he said, "and am
married, but 1 am unable to find my
home.
DIR. Nelson resorted to all conceivable
methods to refresh his memory. Each
one failed. Mr.. Kaufman said he knew
his name, knew he had a wife and chill
dren, but was unable to say whether he
lived in New York city or elsewhere.
Louisville, Boston, Louisville, Bos.
ton," he murmured every time DR..
Nelson and others endeavored to estab-
lish his place of residence. He was
taken to the insane pavilion. There his
case was considered by DR.. Robertson
and his assistants, Drs. Fitch and Viii.
oman. Mr.. Kaufman, as he called
himself, did not appear to be demented,
and he did not seem to be i'll, he simply
could not remember where he lived.
After he had been there two days Pro
fessor Dana was called in. He studied
Mr.. Kaufman with great care; but, ex
pert and alienist as he is, he was unable
to correctly diagnose the mans condi-
tion. Shortly after Mr.. Kaufman was
transferred to the medical section of
Bellevue and placed III the care of DIR.
| Gardner, but this doctor is also COM
| pletely mystified.
II live in u granite house in block
| where street cars run through.
Where is the house?" said the doc
tor.
Louisville, Boston, don't know"
was the answer.
For several days he was treated as al
| alcoholic patient, but there was no i'm
provement in his mentality. 1t was
then that Professor Frankel of the Post
Graduate hospital was invited to inter
est himself in the mysterious patient.
Accompanied by DR.. Gardner, he was
taken TO that hospital.
There, in the presence of other pro-
| fessors and doctors, Mr.. Kaufman was
| hypnotiZed, and it is said that Profess
or Frankel had him in complete control.
! He commanded him to place his fingers
together, tip To tip, and he did SO. Then
he was told to separate them, and he
did that too. Next the doctor suddenly
slapped his hands and made quick cir
cular movement with his arms.
Now" he said quickly, where do
You live?''
The answer was the stereotyped re-
ply, Louisville, Boston,"
Accompanied by the hospital attend
ants of Bellevue, Mr.. Kaufman was
escorted to various parts Of the city OH
foot and in street and elevated cars He
was led past blocks of buildings with
granite fronts, brownstone dwellings,
brick and even frame houses, in the
hope that he might see n familiar dwell
ing or perhaps be able to recognize his
old home. Each and every one of these
efforts was in vain.
"Son, son, daughter, my daughter,
| Dic uOAus. VII, Ou, VII, DTluk luC
home.'
That was his refrain at the close OF
these journeys, of which there were
two, after he had been returned to the
medical ward. Reclining on his couch,
he whispered, 1T is tall. granite
building, yes, yes, quite tall"
Cant you describe itg Can't you
say where it is? What does it look like?''
But the dazed man sorrowfully shook
bis head.
According to his story, Kaufman il
married, but his wife is dead. He did
not know her name. he had two chill
dren, SON and "a daughter.
Professor Dana believes that some
Sudden shock will restore the man tc
possibly perfect recollection Of his
past.
Professor Dana says that Mr. Kauf.
mann is the most interesting case he
has ever seen. At clinic in the Post.
1