Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-24

there are the best of reasons why he
should bepunished for his offenses. The
medical expert may be right when he
testifies that such persons are insane
and fit subjects for treatment in hos
pital; but they are not legally insane,
and the courts have generally refused
to recognize moral insanity, or uncon-
trollable impulse. when unaccompanied
by delusions or other evidences of
actual disease, as defense. There are,
however, cases of emotional ainsanity
which should not be confounded with
moral Insanity, for they certainly be-
long to an entirely different class,
although the act in each case may at
the time be due to uncomfortable i'm
pulse. In emotional insanity the pa.
tient may be pure minded; tho disor-
der may come on suddenly without any
premonition; at some particular sight or |
suggestion reason departs, there is
gap in the recollection, and the unfor-
tunate individual with strenth born
of unreason, and fully four times greater
than that possessed in normal health,
commits or attempts to commit some ex.
traordinary act. 'Ten thousand shapes
of fury are whirling there and reason is
no MORE" In few moments the spell
may pass, the return to reason may be
instantaneous, and the afflicted one may
smile and converse pleasantly without
recollection that anything out of the
ordinary has happened In such a case
the trouble between mind and matter is
as apparent as q badly broken limb;
and yet, for some reason know not
what, possibly public safety consider
atoms. emotional insanity Of itself is
not often accepted by the courts as
defense to acts which would otherwise
amount to crimes.
Out here in this Borderland we find
the thought transference advocate, con-
tending that subjective minds are some
times able to communicate by thought
alone. He points to the recent achieve.
ments OF those engaged in the develop.
ment of wireless telegraphv, and asks
how you can doubt his story when
wholly disconnected combinations of
lifeless materials can be made to trans
fer thoughts over miles OF land and
leagues OF sea. And the Christian Scien-
lists are also here in very respectable
numbers, and they tell us that the attri.
butes of the mind which are not depend
ent upon the senses, have much to do
with the cause and cure of disease.
And If we wait moment they will
furnish proof to a demonstration that
mind cure is good deal more than a
myth. And far out near the borders of
the unknown we see the mesmerists and
the hypcnotists and many others who
place, or pretend to place, reliance upon
some kind of psychic phenomena.
And they are all contending that there
is a distinct entity or department in the
mind OF man not directly dependent upon
the physical seuses for its intelligence.
And they too are not without proof to
corroborate what they say. They call at
tention to the feats of the somnambulist
while his objective senses are in abey-
ance. But the law finds wisdom alone
in its conservatism, and admonishes its
, advocates to cling closely to tho things
t which are known.
ii fear that have already prolonged
this side trip beyond the limits Of bene-
, fit, and that from now on must make
amends by more strict adherence to
my subject.
Courts and law writers have announced
different tests of responsibility for
crime, where insanity is plead as de-
Tense to its commission, but l think it
may now be considered as fairly well
, settled that the question hinges upon the
defendants power, or want OF power
, from mental disease, to distinguish be-
tween right and wrong, as to the par
3 ticular act done by him. From this it
will be seen that person may be par
: TALLY insane, and yet criminally respon-
. sible. Such a person should be judged,
' SO far as his criminal responsibility is
= concerned, precisely as if the facts,
i which in his delusion he be.
: ,ieved to be true, were true. II
. is commended that in many cases the
3 delusion establishes rather than dis.
proves criminal responsibility. Here is
:. the argument: "Where dsiusion leads
| to the commission OF crime, it is gener.
ally because the the wrong doer be.
lieves he has suffered some injustice,
! and, for the purpose Of avenging it, in
} ficts injury upon him whom his delusion
, points out as the guilty party. Ii the
supposed wrong, as is usually If not
universally the case, is one which, If ii
/ were real, could not lawfully be avenged
! IN the manner employed by the accused,
the delusion which dominated hin, If II
5 does not increase, at least does not di.
; minish his crime" This contention is
; founded upon sound reason and should
, prevail as general rule.
, The cortex. or outer covering of the
> brain, Is composed OF grey matter, and
! is the part of the body whence mental
activity originates. 1t is also a sort of
} clearing house for the brain, place
: where the special messages from the
senses are received, assorted and
arranged into coordinate thought.
The brain receives more blood,
according to Its size. than AM
3 other organ of the body, but
its arteries do not anastomose or inter-
communicate with one another, nor do
its veins to any considerable extent.
} AS a result each little section OF the
oortex, each department of this wonder
] fully constructed business establish
ment, is dependent for its life supply
} upon an entirely different source An
, | inillry fO an artarv which would nrnvapt