The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-21


There IS only one other case on record
Of sudden and complete loss of memory
Ike this, says Dr.. Mayer. That is the
/ case of Pastor Hanna reported by DR.
Boris Sidis OF New York, and published
in his book on Psychology of Sugges-
| ton" While amuesia, which is the name
/ of Washburns ailment, is common
/ enough, there are very few cases at all
/ like this.
Amnesia IS often seen in insane cases
which present alterations in personality
and even double ersonaIity-seemingly
/ Washburn is perfectly sane. His is q
/ case of double consciousness, in which
/ the one is suddenly obnterated 20 reap
pear after a lapse Of many years. This
/ is very rare.
Washburn's IS not a case of total am
nesia, because he always remembered
his name and his birthplace and his par
ents. This may be accounted for by the
fact that when he was injured in 1881
and taken 10 the hospital his name was
found on papers in his pocket So when
he left he hospital, he carried the name
by which he had always been known
But he had forgotten everything else
his infancvy and boyhOdd. his early
training at a trade and even the recoliec
ton Of the railway wreck.
The case is one OF great psychological
interest, because il is one Of the few that
enables US TO study the synthesis OF con
seriousness and the cellular action and
disaggresation Of the brain.
Also. as interesting is the re-education
of the man 10 the impressions made dur
ing seventeen years and now lying dor
mant, the study Of his dreams and the
disassociaion OF the past from the pres
binauons. All of these furnish much
material for study and observation.
Ny method IN treating the case is pure
~ one Of suggestion. This consists in
gradually separating him from any i'm
pressions left upon the brain by the loss
of memory, working back TO the time
preceding it and then bringing his ideas
slowly UP 10 the present time. There is
no hypnotic influence CT anything Of
that sort used in that treatment It is
all done through simple suggestion
Believe il VIII eventually lead to bring
ing all Of his ideas up 10 date.
Mr.. Washburn tells the story Of his
lapse Of memory in the following words:
II anybody wants q brand new sen
sation. let him go out of the world FOR
seventeen years and then come back. as
I have done.
I've got 10 get acquainted with my wife
al over again. and I've got 10 learn 70
olive my four little children. al born in
that othre life. which I've entirely for
gotten
The last I remember Is OF being thrown
and Of going through the air. We were
just pulling out of Rock Island. H.. for
Denver. Col. and suddenly / knew that
the train was in a wreck An / know
Of the present what I've learned since
that shock the other cay.
What happened after thar wreck is
blank II me / know I'm married. be
cause M wife has the marriage cerud-
cate. and there are the four children. 4
Peonle ten me that I was like anybody
that saw skyscrapers built and rode on
trolley. cars ana saw incandescent lighta. !
telephones. electric bells ard other mod
ern things. But they're n new 70 ne
They leu me I was painter. NY name
appears in the city directory as such /
but tne ouly wo-k remember doing Of
that kind was IL 1879. / II trying Tow
70 learn nv trade all over again. but !
L have 70 begin ss an apprentice Ny
wife and friends say / was one az the
BEST painters and srainers fl town
The hrst trolley ear saw after I went
out in the streets frightened me. and the |
lights 81 The street at night dazzle nc
completely.
slaoai- a. atAa< day -@S tarahls cor