The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-29

/ 1880
woman. while walking alone, hears
voice calling to her; she turns around,
but there is no one. While she is at her
work, familiar voices speak in her ear.
she hears them on both Sides but per-
haps chiefly on the right. A famous
Minister of State constantly heard insult
Ing words spoken in his left ear. The
words were heard most distinctly when
he was lying on the other ear, CT when
| that ear was otherwise closed. The case
| is recorded of lady, who, after dinner
party, heard repeated not the conversation
OF the persons to whom she had been lis
tening at the dinner, but the talk of her
neighbors on the other side, which she
had Tot consciously noted at the time
"Visions of colors are sometimes pro-
duced by drugs, and are due to subjective
stimulation of the organs of vision. Dr.
Theodate Smith, a woman expert in ex-
detrimental psychology, made some inter-
esting trials not long ago of the effects of
species of cactus which is used for in
toxicating purposes by the Kiowas and
other Indians of the Southern prairies.
They chew it, and it produces an effect
somewhat like that of hasheesh. While
under the influence, she described to an
attendant, charged with making record
of her words, series of wonderful dis
solving views. An electric fountain of
many colors was succeeded by flashes of
light with intense green predominating.
Then came flower ferns, with quanti'
ties of violets, yellow II color. These
were followed by deep opal blue rings
running outward from a centre and in
constant motion. Next appeared a COM
plete Greek pattern OF deep blue, with
white dots, suggesting anowf1akes over
it, this changing through many tints to
turquoise and becoming bowl and
pitcher ornamented with gold. Suisse
quent appearances were of a ship with
square sails, embroidered leather with
rainbow colors Pickering over it, cats
fur OF blue and white. the form of great
centipede, beautiful chandelier richly
jewelled and blazing with light, phos-
phoresccnt fishes eyes and fish scales,
picture of an Arctic sunset, ceiling
from which hung ribbons of every color,
and camel with gorgeous trappings
and palm tree behind him.
Cali the North American tribes have
intoxioants that produce hallucinations.
They supplement them with dancing,
singing, 6rumbeating and tormenting
the body, for the purpose of helping on
the ecstatic state and encouraging the IL
holt tbaCQ
intoxioants produce halluoinations which
convey communications from the invisi-
BILE world; they resort to them to get
view of the past and future, so that their
conduct may be governed by superior
knowledge The character OF the hallu-
cinations caused by excess of alcohol is
we'll known Terrifying Impressions pre-
dominate. Sweet voices are sometimes
heard, melodies delight the ear, and fair
landscapes appear to the eye, but this
seldom lasts long. Monsters and serpents
take the place of flowers, and. vermin,
reptiles, ETC., appear in great numbers,
swarming over the bed and up the wall.
Sometimes black men appear, who glib
Der and threaten, then vanish up the
chimney
Drugs or Inflammation of the ear may
produce auditory illusions. Disease of
the nose sometimes makes illusions OF
smell; the imaginary smells are occa-
sionally very delicious, but more often
they are disgusting. 1t is the same way
with the sense of taste, which is most apt
to be affected by illusions of nauseous or
poisonous dayors. In the early stages OF
paralysis the patient sometimes expert
ences all the enjoyment of an imaginary
feast Hallucinations of taste are rare,
however, and so likewise are those of
smell. A person afraid Of being muir
dered has been known to be haunted by
fumes of charcoal, noxious gases and
poisonous dust Where the sense of touch
is affected the hallucinations are usually
of insects, mice or snakes crawling on
thu skin.
II am not speaking of the decisions Of
the insane, but Of hallucinations to which
persons normal in other RESPECTS may be
subject Oliver Cromwell had his great
ness foretold to him by an apparition.
DOCTdu0S 6IJUycNl VIC
ship of benevolent demon who warned
him of impending evil. 1t is fact, un.
fortunately, that hallucinations e-the
frequent cause of violent and criminal
acts In epilepsy, hysteria and somnam-
bulism, and especially in the deliiium oc-
casioned by alcohol cocaine, or NOR
phine, persons are thrown into paroxy-
isms of terror by phantoms which threat
en- them. The sufferer snatches up
weapon, and, perhaps, commits murder or
sets fire to the house. Or again, despair
ing of escape from the enemies which
pursue and mock him, he puts an end to
his life often in a skillful and cunn1ngly
planned manner.
"There has keen some awakening OF
interest lately in the subject OF 'crysta
vision as it is called. In this sort OF
business the vision seer strives to Danish
all thought from his mind, and fixes his
gaze for many minutes together upon
crystal, O glass of''water or other reflect