The times., 1899-02-09
INSANITY CONTAGIOUS.
Association With Lunntics Danger
Ous 10 Mcnk Minds.

Insanity is contagious. Statistics show
that one person out of every eight in
trusted with the care of the insane be-
come crazy
A week ago two cases of this sort came
under the notice of the authorities at the
Detention Hospital in Chicago. says the
Chicago Inter Ocean" Mrs. Annie L. Hin
man. nurse and an exceptionally intel
lectual woman, became insane from being
constantly in contact with dementcd pa
tients. The other was a case of n mother
and daughter named Fannon The daugh-
ter undertook TO care for her mother at
home. and in a few weeks was herself in
sance
Experts differ as to whether association
with the insane brings on a diseased men
tai state, independent of natural degener-
ate tendencies, or whether it merely makes
manifest a weakness which might never
become apparent under other circum-
stances. The case of a mother and daugh-
Ter sent from Chicago to Kankakee last
week was apparently a plain instance OF
communicated insanity. The mother is
growing old, and some months ago devei-
oped chronic melanchoia. II is believed
that her insanity dated back a considerable
time, but that il had not been apparent on
u
She suddenly grew worse. became violent
and difficult TO control The daughter de-
termined that she would not allow her
mother TO be taken TO State institution.
Her days and nights were spent in watch
ing and caring for her mother, and every
moment she was subjected to an intense
nervous strain. In n few weeks she was
afflicted with melancholia, the same form
of insanity as that with which her mother
is afflicted.
4 few years ago a peculiar case also
came before the authorities at the Deten-
tion Hospital. A Swede was afflicted with
hallucinations of sight and hearing. Voices
whispered in his ear continually. He i'm
agined he saw the Christ and the Virgin
Mary. In time his wife accepted his de-
lusions and came 10 see the visions her
self.
DR.. James G. Kiernan, Chicago's we'll
known expert. defines this form of dis
ease as true, communicated insanity. 1t
differs essentially from the more widely
recognized epidemic and endemic insanity.
Communicated" or transformed. in
sanity has been recognized and studied for
about thirty years. In every insane hos
pital in the world conducted on modern
lines the attendants are watched by physi-
clans almost as carefully as the patients
they attend. Once a year they are exam
ined for traces of alienation or signs of
nervous disorder In Germany attendants
on the insane are forced TO rest every six
weeks, and are not permitted to take
charge of the same patient for any long
period of time. Two reasons are given for
this. One is that the strain of the insane
is an intense nervous strain. Nothing so
wears upon the nerves as continual aSso-
citation with lunatics. In nearly every case
there is considerable danger. nurse
must be constantly on the alert against
surprise. Even the most docile iunatic
may suddenly develop violent symptoms.
endangering the life of himself and the at
tendant.
But the most curious and interesting
phase, from a scientific standpoint, is the
power which the insane often have of i'm
posing their delusions upon others. Many
insane people have wonderfully forceful
and acute minds, aside from their partic-
ular delusions. They often possess individ-
ualities of the strongest sort. Such lu-
natics have a powerful effect up
on their weaker associates. or
upon a mind weakened by nervous affec-
tons II has passed almost into true
ism that genius is akin to insanity