The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-06-12
RANDOM NOTES.

lut Cdct VI hccioidbN
man, who when tlken ID Bellevue Hos
pital, vas found 10 have forgotten his
own name and his former condition 10
life, is 10 rece We the attent on OF several
eminent ps, biologists in Detroit. one OF
them berg DIR. Rolert A. Robertson,
the compiler and annotator OF the re-
markable manuscript left by the late ID.
r. Jamies ID, OF Detroit, man who from
boyhood until the time OF his death pos,
sessed two distinct mental organizations.
There rs some little similarity between
his experiences and those of the grocery
clerks.
Hoffman, as his name was subsequent.
ly learned to be, was found wandering
about on the East side in dazed con.
dition. He was taken TO the hospital,
where he was unable TO tell his own
name or where he lived. He spoke like
an educated man, and talked nationally
on all subjects save his own individual
ity. He had vague remembrance OF a
grocery store, which was located near
green fields, and he could dimly recall
a crowded street in which there were
many tall tenements. The experiment
OF driving him about the city 10 see if
he would recognize any familiar objects
was attempted, and he was taken
through the East side and then out to
Kingsbridge, Highbridge and over the
river to Jersey. Occasionally he would
see building that seemed familiar. but
when the people in it were approach d
they could not recognize their visitor.
While in this condition. Hoffman was
able to play the piano, and displayed
sensitive ear for musical harmony.
This faculty seemed to fade as the strug
gle between the man as he was and his
alter ego proceeded. His voice all ex
preston changed, and when he left the
hospital he was altogether a different
looking man from the man who entered
it.
Jamieson's case as related by DIR. Rob-
ertson, was more wonderful than that of
Hoffman's. The subject was rather pre-
cecious as child. and had mastered the
elementary principles OF mechanical
philosophy and chemistry at the OF IL.
He was apprenticed to a chemist at the
age of II, and by that time had gone
deeply in philosophical research and the
occult sciences. One day while visiting
his parents he was suddenly stricken
with what appeared TO be catalepsy. He
lest the power OF speech and motion.
and for four months remained in a semi
lethargic state. Then he became abe
to articulate few unmeanirg sounds,
snd gradually TO learn to speak. lie
had forgotten absolutely everything of
his past lie and had 10 be taught the
alphabet like child of 3 or 4 years. He
continued TO receive instructios for fif
teen years. when, while eating tBeal he
became unconscious and fell from his
chair. When his senses returned, in,
about half an hour, he was the pre-
cocious youth Of fifteen years before. He
was amazed at The aged appearance OF
his father and mt ther, and did not rec
ognize at all the twin children bonn
about four years before.
In the manuscript bequeathed to Or
all this is related, and then
the writer goes on 10 tell OF an expert
ence which shows him 10 have been
possessed OF at least an amazingly fertile
He passed from the SC
ond mental state, he says, to aro:her.
in which his soul seemed to leave bis
lSo1x- ord oa.r nnrarl He ,a,,al