The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-12

supposed lunatici4i lin New York state
at the present time, there is no mention
made of any r. definite form of mental
disease or any diagnosis corresponding
to pneumonia or tuberculosis. The
only question uttered is this:s Is the
man insane or sane2 But from the
standpoint of the alienist or expert on
mental disease, to say that "a man IS
insane is merely to say that he is mem
tally sick. Every one appreciates that
delerium is a condition, more or less
temporary in its nature, in which pa
tent is absolutely responsible for MS
actions. Delerium is usually associated
with a fever, caused by the poisoning
of the tissues by the toxine of some IN
fectious disease. Delerium without fe-
yer is also common In this case the
toxine may be some chemical substance
as, for instance, in Bright's disease OF
the kidneys, or from some drug, as AL
cohol, or opium, or lead.
TN the case of delirium from aleo-
holic poisoning the law exacts fun
penalty. There is to-day in a. Federal
prison a nom commissioned officer serv-
ing a, sentence of twenty years with
hard labor for striking a superior. Of
ficer while under the, influence OF IL
quor, temporarily insane or drunk from
one of the poisonous alcoholic bever.
The work on insanity during the last
few years has been largely on the line
of study OF degeneracy and its pecu-
liar types of mental disease. We have
learned to recognize degenerate by
the marks Of face and body. by ply.
steal and muscular peculiarittes. We
have learned the very intimate assoc
citation of insanity with q bad hered-
ity, such as diseases and defects of va
rious sorts OF parents produce. From
such an origin we expect to see minor
or grosser metal defects. 1t is out
of this class that the cranks OF the
Guiteau type come. OF the degener-
ate types of mental disease come the
border land cases which are neither
absolutely sane nor insane. All are
mentally unstable.
"If their SURROUNDINGS are criminal
they may become criminals. They are
all 'suggestible' They do not as
rule have strength Of mind enough to-
originate. They readily take up with
the suggestion OF others This might
readily be the type of mind Of the man
who made the attempt on the life OF
the President. Going one step farther,
second type Of degenerate insanity
may be noted. consisting of those who
have lost their self control enough 70
permit a single idea to get control OF
their minds When morbid Ideas be-
come systematized delusion or series
of decisions, the term paranoia Is used.
This is definite and especially dan
gerous form OF mental disease, for its
victims reason perfectly, but on some
false premises. they may base their
entire system of delusion on a belief
that they have seen or heard certain
things; given the original belief. moth
ing on earth but confinement In an in
sane asylum will save their victim.
.'Czolgcsz, the assassin, should he
prove to be insane, almost comes UNI
der a class who are separated from
others as a special type of diseases of
the adolescent period, eighteen TO
twenty-five years of age. This period
shows an exaggeration in its mental
disease of what is characteristic OF
the time of life. The prisoner is I'M
fortunately young and might very
readily show characteristics Of the
type Of insanity The views stated,
suggesting that the prisoner is actual
~ insane, are by no means positive.
That he Is more insane than many
criminals in state prisons may not be
true. There are comparatively few
normal men who become criminals. A
certain percentage of mentally un-
balanced criminals must suffer the
penalties of the law"