The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-25
Trying TO RECALL SELF
George Ritterband Afflicted With
Loss Of Identity.
Efforts OF the Physicians slowly
Winning Back His MemOry-He
Instructions of His Mother md
sisters-ResuIt OF the Tests Made.

NEW YORK. April 25.-Siowly the mind
OF George Ritterband is winning back the
memories which seemed TO have vanished
with his loss Of identity. Two well known
physicians, both of whom have made ex-
tensiye researches in psychology, were
busy yesterday morning coaxing back the
wandering faculty OF memory to its func-
tions. AS TO the details of these exceed
ibgly interesting experiments the physi-
clans. for professional reasons, were silent.
From one well acquainted with the fami-
ly and who had special facilities for know
ing what took place. an account of the ef
forts to win back the capricious recollec-
tiOn of the young man whose experience
has been so remarkable, is gained
He is still at the home of his mother, No.
West 1O6th Street, where he has been
ever since he was taken there by the po-
lice. He had been wandering for days
about the streets vainly trying to find some
one who could tell him who he was. His
general health is good. and he is now eat
ing regularly and with fair appetite.
lie knows that he is George Ritterband
because since last Wednesday his mother
and his sisters have been telling him that
he bears that title. He does not recognize
his mother, and be addresses her as such
merely from sense of politeness. Con-
corning his former life in the apartment
house in which he dwells he has no recol-
lection. He has the idea that he is the pa
iron Of hotel, and frankly says that he
has been treated better there than at any
other place at which he has stopped.
DR.. Walter VI. Brickner. of No. 32 West
Ninety-second Street and Dr. Ludwig NJ.
Michaelis, of No. 1890 Lexington Avenue,
called yesterday at the home of young Rit-
terband, and spent an hour and a half with
him. They made an effort TO get him TO
recollect his family relations, for at every
mention Of anything bearing on his identity
his memory seemed to wander.
They first tested him with regard to his
knowledge Of cities They asked him 10
write down the name of the State capital.
This he readily did and continued TO write
until the page of notepaper was filled
He had put down the name of a man
whom he knew in business way and ad-
ded the information that the person might
be found at certain hotel there until aft
er a certain date. when he would be back
in New York in the office of the firm which
employed him. All this was written in a
firm. round hand. Then at the end Of the
page he started TO write another word, and
stopped with the first letter.
He rested for a few minutes and then
the physicisrs asked him to tell them the
location of Oshkosh.
is II an English word2" asked he
Upon being assured that 1t was. he spent
several minutes in thought One OF those
present suggested the word Wisconsin"
Immediately the features OF the young
man frightened. and be wrote the name
Of a business house, and beneath it Osh-
kosh, Wis 1t was afterward ascertained
that his employers had dealings with the
house mentioned.
His recollections of Philadelphia extend
ed to the naming of several business
friends and OF Greene's Hotel Those pres
ent were so pleased with the results that
they showed him the paper. He looked at
II and asked IL he had written it.
by dietatiOn7" he enquiFed when he
was answered in the affirmative
He was told that he had written it from
his own recollection
Why he said - rever heard of anv
OF these places or of any OF these names
His mind again seemed 10 be a blank
The physicians waited a few minutes and
began on a theme which they thought
might interest him. II had for years been
an enthusiastic bicyclist. Since his re-
turn he has seen bicycles passing the door
and has expressed a wish 10 ride He has
forgotten that he ever rode a wheel
One Of the physicians asked him il he
knew certain road in New Jersey fire.
quented by bieycIists The pencil in the
hand of Ritterband waved eagerly over the
paper He described the landmarks along
tie road, deserted house, a dead tree
and large rock or two. He wrote OF
Lakewood, Interlaken. and North Long
Branch.
You have been there on your Wheel? ?"
suggested one OF those present
Yes. was the written reply. down
there in 1894 great race on bicy-
Giles Zimmerman was there"
Now. then. write your name" was the
suggestion made.
Young Ritterband rested the pencil on
the paper and then suddenly dropped IL
He could neither form the characters nor
spell the name The reference to himself
seemed TO be the signal for his recollection
TO disappear.
When there was shown to him he mage
which he had written about his bicyclipg
tour he solemnly and earnestly denied that
he had visited any of the places mentioned
and said he had never ridden wheel in his
life
DR. Michaelis, when seen yesterday af-
ternoon, declined to give a detailed account
of the experiments
All that can be said,' he continued is
that the condition of the young man IS i'm
proving, and that his memory will be
eventually restored. The present neriod
will then be perfect blank to him
DR.. Brickner asked to be excused from
giving any details, and declined TO discuss
the case beyond saying that the patient
was slowly but surely on the road to re-
cOvery.
Young Ritterband was somewhat nervous