The evening times., 1899-05-26
PHxs1c1Ans m DISPUTE.
Debates I'm ahe A1eRiean AeAico
PsycholOgical Association.

I6Y8lC1AN6 IN OlSPUTE.
Debstes I'm ahe American MeAics
Psychological Association.
New York. May 26.-At the meeting o
the American Medico- Psychological Asso.
citation. yesterday. in the Pathological In
stitute. theoretical structure built b,
DIR. Ira Van Gieson, brayed with authority
| and strikingly illustrated. was torn down
and trampled upon by rival neu.o,ogist
DIR. Stewart Patton. of Baltimore.
The controversy caused a great stir.
Several discussions arose. Partisans oi
DR.. Van Gieson were especially incensed.
| When the alienists arrived at the insti-
tute. they found DR.. Van Gieson before a
big blackboard drawing spider shaped OBJ
jects in red and blue crayons. These were
neurons or nerve cells Of frogs and fishes,
he explained in his address on the Ply
siological and MorphoIogical Basis OF the
| Retraction Theory
| sap and gangiion cells was the product OF
deep study on the part OF DR.. Won Gieson.
and gave great promise in uniting the
psychical and physiological researches af-
| ter the origin of insanity. AS the speaker
| stepped from the platform. flushed with
| triumph, he was roundly applauded.
Then, however. came the turn Of DR..
Gieson. with light hair, firm jaws and
cynical eyes. Dr. Patton said that he was
sorry he had to sound a discordant note
but that his brother neurologist's ideas OF
neurons were altogether wrong.
He cited authorities to prove that the
nerve cells as delineated in chalk were
open to dispute. The network did not be-
long TO the cells. and the cells as depicted
had probably undergone degeneration.
In fact he tore TO pieces his rivafs neu-
rons. and to offset the chalk diagrams he
displayed drawings Of nerve cells after his
own ideas, which. he significantly said.
were photographic reproductions and not
made by hand.
Il have. devoted two years to the study
OF gangiion cells" said DIR. Patton, ''and
feel that ! can express an opinion on The
subject / must say. however that il there
were more physicians like Dr. Won Gisson
there would be afforded more opportunity
TO discuss this important topic"
DR.. Won Gieson appeared but little edi-
fed by this dubious compliment Il dent
see the force of your logic he said.
At the night session in the Waldorf
Astoria. DR.. Van Gieson seized the oppor-
tunity to yindicate his theory on nsurons.
DIR. Patton. however. was absent.
The discussion was almost the sole topic
among members of the association. Dr.
Boris Sidis paid tribute to the attain
ments of Dr. Eaton. But his arguments
were very himsy." he added.
DIR. George Villeneuve, associate profess
scr Of medical jurisprudence and mental
diseases at Laval University. Montreal. de-
lvered at he morning session an interest
ing address on Judicial Errors in Luna
cy." He gave statistics regarding the le-
gal test of insanity. which was discussed
by DR.. Carlos Macdonald the day before
For some time past" said DIR. Velle-
neuve. 'criminologists have been struck
with the number Of the unrecognized in
sane condemned by the courts. DIR. Paul
GARNER, chief physician of the infirmary
Of the Paris Prefecture of Police. in 1892.
presented 10 the Anthropological Congress
in Brussels, statistics regarding the un-
recognized insane who were condemned
and afterward sent from prisons to special
infirmaries to undergo examinations. The
table showed a total Of 255 errors for a
period OF five years.
III Inc VI Sucpct LIE
is no better. From 1881 to 1887, 1.ls1 lu !
natics were admitted to the common jails !
OF the province. OF this number only igS |
were incarcerated for safe keeping while |
waiting for proper papers to be made out |
for their removal to the asylum. |
''Deducting the 4sS cases who were COM |
mtted as lunatics. their mental condition /
being known. there remains a total number |
of $50 lunatics condemned during seven |
Thaf ,S To oil
erage Of forty unrecognized and condemned |
lunatics. The proof that these prisoners
were lunatics at the time of their trial
and sentence is that upon their reception
in prison they were Immediately classed Is
lunatics
1--WE see from the above reports and fig
ures that judges. left to their own re-
sources. have been unable TO detect insani-
ty in number of plain cases. They should
then consider it as one Of their duties TO
,rder medical examinations into the mental
state OF prisoners when the circumstances
Of the crimes committed point to defec-
tive mental condition.
DIR. William A. White of Binghamton, N
T.. gave several interesting cases of hyp-
lotic experiments. He described the case
IF a woman patient of DR.. Alfred Binet. Of
France This woman was observed in a
waking sta-e. Her anaesthetic hand. be-
i
vas made to perform. while the patient
herself felt nothing suspected nothing and
believed that her hand was motionless.
In the condition of hypnosis said DR..
White Il pointed out to my subject. D. F..
gentleman whom she had never seen be-
ore and who sat tanning himself at the
opposite side Of the room. 1 told her that
fter | awoke her and she should hear me
mock three times. at the third knock she
hould go to him. take his fan away and
ring II TO me.
After waking her. ! engaged her in
conversation. at intervals knocking. At
he third knock she started across the rom
or the gentleman with the fan, and al
hough he resisted vigorously, she took
from him and brought il to me-
Japan and America.
(From the Atlantic Monthly
Japan has seemed at times to coquette
ith England. with France, with Germany. {
s.I /.