The Washington times., 1901-12-08
GENIUS A PRODUCT
OF DEFECTIVE BRAINS.
Some Noteworthy Examples Cited
by Specialist.
DR.. G. Z. LYDsT0N's OPINIONS
Napoleon, Edgar AIlnn Poe, Byron.
Chatterton, and Many Others Are
Pointed Out ms Noted Case. wher.
Insane Genius Existed.

Insanity and genius often go hand Ia
hand: this is as old as the hills" said
DR.. G. Frank Lydston. yesterday in dis
cussing disease as a developer of genius
DR.. Lydston's remarks we're brought out
by the cabled announcement from Paris
to the effect that an eminent psychologist
OF Toulouse had given Il as his opinion
that the remarkable genius OF NJ Berthe
lot. the famous chemist. was due to patho-
logical conditions
When this eminent man. says the de-
spatch, was FIVE years old. he had marsh
fever. which reacted upon his nervous
system. Two years later he struck his
forehead against mill stone, depressing
the Uranium and irritating the frontal
lobes. NJ Berthelot told the Toulouse ex-
pert that he had made his greatest dis
coYeries intuitiveIy.
Disease Develops Genius.
There is certainly no question that
disease does develop genius" continued
DR.. Lydston. Eve know Of many in
stances where people have no ability or
education. but are able to write more
than ordinarily good poetry. The rala-
ton Of insanity to genius under these
circumstances has been pretty thoroughly
thrashed out by alienists and neurologists
81 have met with numerous examples
where individuals who had no particular
ability in any direction have developed
extraordinary talent in art. music and
poetical composition. The relation OF
genius to brain degeneraey and brain dis
ease has been proved to be a very inti-
mate one. Many individuals who have
brains which are primarily defective often
show many of the attributes OF genius.
at is claimed by excellent authorities
that the military genius OF Napoleon, the
literary genius OF Byron. Chatterton. and
many other individuals OF equal celebrity
have been intimately associated with IL
not dependent upon defective development
OF the brain; and there seems to be very
little question as to the effectiveness OF
the brain structure OF Edgar Allan Poe.
Cites Many Examples.
1.-THE history of art and literature fur
nishes abundant examples of the same
kind. The great landscape painter. Tur-
ner. called by Ruskin the supreme color
ist Of the world. was undoubtedly the vic
tim OF brain disease. as anyone might
recognize upon reading some of his poeti-
cal eflusions in which he occasionally in
dulged
''The celebrated Biehat. who was the
leader OF medicine In Europe. and who
was also celebrated anatomist, was
found, after death. TO be the poise ssor OF
brain one side OF which was 80 poorly
developed that the condition was clearly
perceptible to the naked eye.
THE theory is a very old one, for it was
suggested by Horace and Aristotle way
back in their time. At later day Dryden
expressed himself to the effect that genius
was an expensive gift from nature 10 man.
he was merely an imitator OF Horace.
Plato evidently held the same view when
he said that when the delirium comes by
the gift Of God it Is great benefit. Seneca
believed that genius without a certain
degree Of insanity could not exist. Burton.
who wrote OF the anatomy Of melancholy.
put forth a similar doctrine.
I'VE have the best OF modern auth0ri-
ties in the same direction. Huxley says
that from biological standpoint genius
among men is in the same position as
sport or freak of nature among animals
and plants"
Doctors Do Not Agree.
There are other prominent physicians.
however. who take an entirely different
view OF tue SUBJECT, anu GtlieNe thdL III
the case of VI. Bertheiv,. as in the case OF
many other celebrities, their genius is CO.
Incidental rather than consequential
1T is not reasonable" said DR.. D. r.
Brewer. ITO have-a sound mind one must
have a sound body. That is one of the
Oldest theories we have. You can't crack
a mans head and make him smart. Yet
a man is often brilliant in spite of his
physical infirmities. l think We all reach
things intuitiyely. know | often do and
can't tell why do it. / simply get there
without reasoning. Because VI. Berthelot
had marsh fever or indented his skull. 1t
ioes not follow that he sustained any seri-
Gus injury from either. You can crack
.he outer table Of the skull without in
juring the inner table or the brain"
DR.. w. S. Christopher said: Real
genius is not disease process even if the
genius happens TO be insane. They bear
no relation to each other whatever"
Said DR.. u. II. Galloway: II don't take
any stock in it, Some diseases often pro-
duee poison which acts as a stimulsnt.
This is frequently the case in tubereulO-
sis The poison often intoxicates as
liquor. man talks more glibly after he
has glass of champagne. The effects OF
a poison are often the same, only more
lasting sometimes for years. Chicago
Record Herald