, 1900-09-21
QUEER DEMENTIA,
NOTIONS THAT POSSESS SOME
PEOPLE.
Some Patients Think They Are Soda
Water Fountains, Glass or Wooden
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Assortment of Hal
fluctuations. q

There are many queer cases Of de-
mentia and in nearly every city in the
country mildly insane people may be
encountered on the streets. One pecu-
liar case-the Authorization of a double
personality-recently came under a
Chicago physicians notice, writes a
correspondent. When | would ask the
patient, say the physician, How are
you feeling this morning." she would
look far away and say, THE doctor
would like to know'how you are feeling
this morning. She of course imagined
that she was a sort of double person.
one personality subjective. the other
objective, or, perhaps. she thought she
was two persons. She thought | was
inquiring for the health of the obJec-
tive or secondary person. In a few mo-
ments after she nae repeated my ques-
ton as if to another and looking as If
she saw a third person some distance
away she would suddenly turn to me
and say, She says she is feeling first
rate today" Then perhaps I would
ask, Are you going out riding this
afternoon" Again she would turn as
if addressing someone else and say:
The doctor wants to know if you are
going out riding this afternoon" Again
she would pause as If listening to a
reply and then she would say to me:
She thinks she may go out for a lit
tie while if it is a pleasant afternoon"
All of the questions asked of the pa
| liant worn o1ura " oncuaraI IN narfnpt
accord with her own condition, opin-
ions, inclinations, etc. That is, when
she spoke Of the imaginary person be-
ing well she herself was well. And
quite often | heard her talk as if carry
ing on a conversation with a third
person.
A somewhat common hallucination OF
al insane person is the belief that he
or she is made of glass or some very
brittle substance. They warn everyone
who approaches not to touch them for
fear they will be shattered in pieces.
Then there is the patient who imagines
he is perfectly hollow inside and that
there is no way by which food can
reach his interior. When he is fed he
even then insists that no food has
gone inside of him. and that he has
had no nourishment whatever.
Very often the insane become pos
sessed with the idea that they are apt
to become contaminated with anything
which they touch or which touches
them. They allow no one to tou h
them, and II they happen to let tn If
hands touch even a door knob or any
thing whatever they instantly plunge
them in water and wash them thor
oughly.
One day a man was captured on the
north side with his lips puckered up
and giving forth a sizzling sound in
imitation of a soda water fountain.
The man said he vas a soda fountain
and that he made his living by max
ing the "sizz'' sound witt his mouth.
He said he made the sound for anybody
who wanted to hear it and that every
time he "sizzed" he received the price
of an ice cream soda. The ponr fellow
was soon landed where he sti!l con-
tinues to play the animated soda foun-
tain.
Quite often insane people imagine
Iney are Ctliilu dIllludlo - C'oh piSNSS
of machinery. Occasionally there is a
case in which the unfortunate thinks
he is a steam engine, and he goes along
the highway at full speed, his arms
giving limitations OF the flying drive
wheels of the locomotive. 1t was only
a year or two ago that a man over on
Milwaukee avenue was possessed with
the idea that he was the Lincoln Park
elephant. He got down on his hands
and knees and before anyone was
aware that he was insane he had chill
dren piled all over his back and was
crawling up and down the street CIV
ing the little ones a free ride.
A few years ago a homeless wanderer
suddenly went insane on South Clark
street. He at once became possessed
with the idea that he was an Indian
cigar sign. So with one hand lifted
high in the aid as if 1t were holding a
tomahawk and with the other posed in
front of hiro as If holding a bunch OF
cigars the In took UP his station in
front of a toc.cco store. He stood there
stolidly Tor aesrly an four and a half,
1t finally required the services of three
policeIca al "a remove the cigar sign to
a pat.,.i wagon bound for tho detention
hospi.Si.
How Chinamen Take An Oath.