Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-02-26
OUR DOUBLE SELVES.
A Remarkable Gas. of Jskvn and HYDE
Phases of an Insane Man.

fhAses OF an Insane Man.
The records Of dual personalities
have been enriched by the publication
of a remarkable case recorded by DIR.
Lewis G. Bruce. The subject here con-
cerued was man who was a patient
in the Derby Borough asylum, says
Longman's Magazine. He exhibited in
a very typical fashion the Jekyll and
Hyde phases OF existence. Decidedly
insane. this man nevertheless illus
trated two entirely separate personal
tiles which themselves showed distinct
variations in the type OF insanity pre-
scented. In the one personality the
man spoke English but understood
Welsh. the latter representing his
mother-tongue. Here he was right
handed--a fact Of Importance in view
Of certain explanations to be hereafter
discussed-and was the subject Of
chronic mania. Accordingly he was
found restless, destructive and thiev-
ish; but DIR. Bruce tells US that he
could write and draw pictures OF ships
and relate incidents of his past life.
This English stage, despite the oc-
currence Of the mania, evidently rem
resented his normal or first self. He
recognized his doctors and attendants
and had recollection of events which
had happened in previous English
stages. He had. however. no remem-
brance Of anything occurring in the
condition OF second self. which was
appropriately named the Welsh stage.
There were peculiaritles in his writ
ing as practiced by his English self.
He wrote from left to right with hts
right hand, but could also write with
his left hand when he wrote back
wards from right TO left. and thus IL
Illustrated what is called .mirror-writ-
ing" seeing that. II held before look
ing-glass, the characters appear in
their proper order and array. His
senses were acute and exhibited moth
ing out OF the common In respect Of
their exercises and powers.
When the second or Welsh self he
came manifested In this mans history
the type Of insanity changed to one OF
dementia, by which terms Is practically
meant the general degeneration OF the
mental faculties. Now, instead OF be-
ing restless, he was dull. shy and sus-
picious. He did not recognize the
physicians and attendants. He could
not speak or understand English. but
spoke exclusively in Welsh. Very not
able Is IL that In the Welsh stage he
was left-handed. When he wrote he
used his left hand and the characters
were traced from left to right. Once
being persuaded TO use his right hand
when In the second-self stage. he
wrote from left to right, but his capt.
tails were traced backwards. His sense
appeared to be unimpaired as before.
but he was unable to analyze or un-
derstand the sensations transmitted 10
his brain by his sense organs. This
case Is specially interesting. because it
opens up before us a possible vista OF
explanatory kind. such as is rarely 10
be seen in connection with instances
OF dual consciousness. In the records
Of medicine and physiology numerous
other cases are reported which, while
they may vary In details from the in
stances outlines Of which have been
given, yet repeat in their essential fea-
lures the same curious departure from
the normal life.