The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-30

, There is a gradual degeneration in tn
Z mind following frequent attacks of epilep
I So, acute mania being sometimes tn
v eventual result. a person having frequen
g., attacks during childhood and youth woult
probably have a decided deterioration IL
i his mental capacity. In the case of the
! defendant | do not think 1t possible fol
him TO have had frequent attacks during
the past nine years and continue in his
lucid intervals to perform his duties with
, no mental impairment"
The hypothetical question of the prose
cution was then put TO the Witness and he
replied:
II am not able to see anything there
that would indicate anything but sanity
at the time of the crime. From the de-
scription you give, epileptic attacks are
demonstrated TO have occurred during his
childhood, but the act does not seem to be
so much due to epilepsy as it may have
been TO alcoholism"
DIR. Richardson's Cross-ExnminatiOn
The cross-examination by the defence
was formulated with a view to controvert-
ing the testimony OF the former experts on
the stand, DR.. Shute in particular. Mr..
Turner dove into the depths of mateTia
medica. taking particular note of ''choked
disc" OF the eye rs proof OF epilepsy and
the use OF the opthaimoscope as a test of
the disease from this source. The witness
! denied that this instrument was an abso-
lutte test, but admitted that 1t was as good
| as any. He also said that the edge of the
motor area OF the brain was not Clearly de-
fined and that he would not attempt to
| locate an injury as nearly as ole-twelfth
| of an inch from that point.
Mr. Turner referred to the tibia, and the
| witness called 1t the shin bone" at which
| the spectators were audibly amused. The
| witness said that he had seen two cases
of what is known as masked epilepsy" in
which there were no commissions, although
| acute mania eventually resulted in each
| case. Operation in one case effected a
prompt cure, with nc signs on the interior
of the skull OF the injury which caused the
| attacks. while the usual ordinary medical
treatment cured the other case.
Mr.. Turner asked If the witness recalled
! that Rousseau lad said: ~ herever there
Is horrible and motiveless crime, / sus-
pect the existence of epilepsy"
The witness replied that he did, but that
1T did not always follow that that disease
was responsible. After an extended exam
ination by Mr.. Turner the long hypotheti-
cal question of the defence was put to the
witness. who replied:
II am not able to see, from what you
have stated, that there is ground for the
assumption that the murderous outbreak
was the result OF epilepsy. although there
is reason TO believe that the disease was
an accompaniment OF his childhood The
crime might have been committed through
the influence of alcohol - Ell
Tilt Between CannseI
Mr.. Gould made a suggestion to be add
ed to the question, TO which Mr.. Turner
answered. saying: ts7.yo
When l am in need of any suggestions
In asking questions of witness 1 shall
employ counsel" ID
Il shall be happy to assist YOU at any
tire" said Mr. Gould ff7ss
You will not be asked, retorted Mr..
Turner. g. is-
The testimony hen went on. the witness
questioning the fact that epilepsy and
great minds, suck as Caesar, Voltaire, and
others which had been named by Dr. |
Rose while on the stand, as sufferers |
from the disease. could be co.ncident
Mr.. Anderson took~the witness for the |
redirect, asking an opinion az to the |
sanity Of the defendant, IL there had been |
no automatic action at about the time of |
the murder.
Mr.. Turner vigorously objected, and |
stated to the court that the testimony
that the defendant had had no recollection
OF the murder Immediately following it
was sufficient to show that there had been
no automatic act, and the question was
irrelevant.
Mr.. Anderson answered at some length,
but the court ruled that the question was
rather peculiarly put and should be
changed,
Tie District Attorney then withdrew the
question, and DIR. Richardson was excused.
DR.. J. p. Burwell was put upon the
stand by the defence. He has been for
seven years the chairman OF the local
board of pension examiners in this city |
He has made two examinations of Smell,
found two fractures Of the SKULL and evil
dences OF chronic disease. The witness
said that one of the fractures might have
produced epilepsy, and the other disease
would certainly assist in its development.
The defence finally put the long ques-
tion on the hypothetical basis OF epilepsy
and the accompanying acts, to which the
witness replied:
81 think that he suffered from eplleptio
insanity"
Alcohol Predisposcs TO Epilepsy.
Would the use Of alcohol be likely to
bring on seizure of epilepsy"
1T would be predisposing cause" was
the reply.
the cross examination, Mr.. Gould putting
the questions
The witness had had one case OF lnsan-
lily resulting from traumatic epilepsy, but
had had no other experience than in his
work for the Pension Office
During the examination Of DR.. Burwell a
was caused In the court room
by the breaking down Of the chair in which
the defendant was seated. He testified
that the pulse on one side of the defendant
was normal. beating about eIghtyfour TO
the minute while on the other side IL was ,
very weak and much slower"
II understand that a human being has
but one heart" said Mr.. Gould. DO you ,
mean TO say that one heart in {. mans ,
body can pulsate so as to produce diff Y
'erent result on each side of the body?"
THAT was the result in this case" ,
ITO what dc you attribute this variation, G
ioctor?"
1T is hard matter to explain it, was .
he reply. Mr. Gould then drew the hy-
1othesis that instead Of committing a .
rhine on the 9Th day Of August the de- 7
endant had gone home and gone to bed,
what would have been the opinion OF the
witness TO the sanity OF the man. ,
The witness replied that n man conduct I
ng himself in rational manner would be !
ane that there would be nothing upon a
which TO base any other judgment.
Counsel Again mt Odds. q
Mr.. Turner interrupted the Govern }
nents attorney. who said: THE witness u
will answer that. | am not putting you on =
he stand. would not attempt to cross
xamine yen as an expert"
TIa h.Tp hat a.I Z