Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-05-11
RpILEPTIc INSANITY.

did not know regarding tno uelcAcy VI
the human mind, and the peculiar
form OF that dread malady, insanity,
which feeds upon II as avulture upon
its prey. 1t lisa comparatively short
period In the worlds history SIM these
entail arrangements were charged to
demons, or devils, or evil spirits who
entered the human body and took
charge Of his mind. This idea was
probably produced by the "voices"
which 80 usually lunaticS claim to bear
speaking to them and directing their
action and which In benighted ages,
were mistaken for the voice of the
devil. The same opinions still prevail
among heather and sIperstitious saw
ages. In later times science has re-
yealed that these are not objective but
sub ective, the creation OF a Diseased
mind, And here ii may be relevant TO
state that no two minds are absolutely
alike. There Is the same dissimilarity
and individuality In minds as In coun-
tenance; and neither is mental per-
lection any more possible than physi-
cal Even the athlete, the Sandow, or
the Sampson has somewhere about him
the elements Of weakness and disease,
Is In short, but food for microbes. So
the human mind, In the best OF us, has
its weaknesses, its eccentricitles and
foibles, latent inherited defects which
some sudden shock 10 the nervous sys-
ten Is liable to transform into unacy.
There are many forms which insanity
may take, many various manifestations
of II and many causes for 1t, but as 1t
relates to our criminal Jurisprudence
probably none is 80 interesting rs that
produced by epilepsy Concerning this
the Encyclopedia Britannica, which Is
as good authority as any in the world,
say:
"Allusion has already been made to
the occasional occurrence Of maniacal
excitement as one Of the results of the
eplleptIc seizure. Such attacks, to
which the name of Juror epilepticus'
is applied, are generally accompanied
with violent acts on the part Of the pa
tient, rendering him dangerous, and
demanding prompt measures Of re-
straint. These attacks are by no
means limited to the more severe form
Of epilepsy, but appear to be even more
frequently associated with the milder
form--the epileptic vertigo--where they
either replace altogether or immedi-
ately follow the short period Of absence
characteristic OF this form Of the dis
ease. Numerous cases are on record
Of persons known to be epileptic being
suddenly seized, either after or without
apparent spasmodic attack, with some
sudden impulse, In which they have
used dangerous violence to those be-
side them, irrespective altogether Of
malevolent intention, aS appears from
their retaining no recollection what
ever, after the short period of excite
ment, of anything that had occurred;
and there IS reason to believe that
crimes of heinous character for which
the perpetrators have suffered punish
lnent, have been committed IN u state
Of mind such as that now described.
The subject is obviously one of the
greatest medico-legal interest and i'm
pOrtance in regard to the question of
criminal responsibility, and 1t Is now
justly receiving much greater attention
than formerly. '-Vol. VIII, p. 4S0.
A few years ago it will be remem-
bered that the world was Mortified by
the series iof heinous White Chapel
murders, by Jack, the Ripper"
These numerous murders we're 80 care
fully concealed as to utterly battle the
Scotland Yards detectives. From the
nature Of the mutilations II was deter
mined that someone familiar with
anatomy had committed the atrocities.
Finally prominent surgeon conHded
to his friends curious phenomena for
which he could not account. There
were periods in his life in which he
: could not account for himself. II
seemed as IL he had been asleep. AT
3 forwards no would find blood spots on
: his clothes and his surgical instru-
= ments, which he had put away clean
Q were bloody, though he could remem-
j. Der of performing no operation. liz
+ was watched and the mystery was un-
0 raveled. He was doubtless an epilep
tic maniac, for as from the above quo.
tation it will be seen such atrocities
i are oftener performed by those VIII,
actually suffer no commissions thar
from those who do. The celebrated
IL case Of DR., Jeckyl and Mr.. Hyd
u seems to be in point
y Concerning the verdict IN the Moo r
q case we have no criticism to offer. In
: sane or not, the safety Of society re
+ quires that John Moore be locked up