The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-14

With a comprehensive review OF the all
Gent and modern methods employed In the
treatment Of .he insane and the causes and
effects of insanity. Doctor Edward c.
Rfnge, Superintendent OF the st. Louis M
sane Asylum. begins the thirty-second an
nual report on the condition of the institu-
ton, its needs. its objects and future plans.
In speaking of the change in the past CEN
. fury he says the task of minstering to the
needs of the unfortunate insane under then
existing conditions must have been harrow
ing, and even though conditions of to-day
ere far from being ideal there is not lack
ing encouragement IN the present or hope
in the future.
Referring to the nurse ard physician, he
declares they should be free of any faint or
tendency TO psychic disease, for the reason
that an individual with nutspokep tuber-
cular predisposition would reach the acme
OF reoklessness if he chose for his life work
the confines of consumptive ward in a
hospital. This statement. he says, is made
In REPUTATION of the often-heard utterance
that association with the insane frequently
causes insanity. In substance Doctor Runge
says:
Let us not forget that without brain dis
ease insanity absolutely does not exist. Who
will have the hardihood to brand all OF our
brains diseased The term crank is COM
monty applied TO individuals endowed with
peculiarities all their own. Such an eccen-
doves. tail TO his fellows. is not insane;
more frequently he as possessed of dynamic
energy that leaves its indelible imprint on
the path of human evolution. When Lom-
broso attempted TO brand genius as genus
of insanity he lost himself in the maze of
psuedo-scienes. where Max. Nordau and
his Tx should have held undisputed sway.
Insane Cases of Interest.
Il shall have no difficulty In proving that
the intimate minsling with the insane is
replete with. encompassing interest. How
ha sharxx yfcn tpp ha
truly Kaleidoscope variety of human minds
and human souls? Every day brings in its
wake new pictures, unexpected turns. and
richer for having lived a day We pass into
the next. In popular estimation the only
out-and-out insane person is the 'raving
maniac. From psychoiogic point of view.
exceedingly interesting. Even a normally
dull brain Will. under spur of the morbid
influence, display wealth of imagery and
inspire brilliant flow of language that are
frequently astounding. In the more highly
gifted the picture grows in scope and rich
ness OF coloring.
on hrst acquaintance. His Intellectual life
Is apt to run In a narrow groove, and his
colossal egotism is SO all-permeating as to
tire even the most interested observer. To
this class belong the social reformer whose
eelf-imposed task II is to right imaginary
wrongs against himself and society. the
pseudo-ecientist with cosmic scheme all
his own. and others. It is remarkable how
much logical power the deluded brain Of the
psranoiac is capable Of We have a patient
here now whose notions. If applied. would
revolutionize the entire universe. with him.
self as the self-choSen center. He possesses
the occult faculty, Of connecting earth end
sun, and thus producing showers. wind and
storms; he positively revels in scoveries
OF unknown elements, and most eloquently
discourses upon science of chemistry OF
ognized by the characteristic convulsiye at
tack. presents one. feature that is peculiar
TO II. namely. the intensely emotional state
has received the .appeliation of the pre-
epileptfc' state / have in view male pa
TENT who, In measured steps, would walk
along the ward with both hands pointing
heavenward. with head uplfted and eyes
gazing into the far distance. in utter OBJ
livion to his enrironment-the' entire stti-
tude expressive OF aim st superhuman ec-
stasy. When aroused he would depict to
me In glowing colors the heavenly visions
tangible v.vidness. and would speak Of the
intense Joy filling him to OVERLOOKING. a JOY
that seemed not of this earth; No better
Illustration. of the unutterabiy blissful sen,
than In the words Of the noted Russian au-
thor. Dostoyensky.; who was q confirmed
of mathematics at the University of Stock
holm, Sweden. relates In her memoirs of q
visit paid by him to herself and sister at st.
Petersburg. In the course of the converse
ton he discussed his malay quite freely
and astounded the girls by the bold state
ment that no amount of money could In
0uCe nun TO paft WIFI Il single Hl-DecduSe
of the unspeakable bliss encompassed in
those pre-epfleptic moments.
Senfle and Paralytfc Dementia.
Prom among the remainder of our pa
tients l will mention but two more classes
that are of general interest. I mean the
ones afflicted with senile and paralytic
dementia. The process of physioiogic invO-
Iutien at the approach of advanced age is
marked by some gradual and characteristic
changes that are not expressions Of NOR
bidity. The high waves of passion give way
times pristine vigor, but new fields are
summed. Caution and conservatism sup
plant enterprise and radicaliSrn: all moving
forces appear of a lowered tension in the
aged In the senile dement, the decline Is OF
distinctly morbid nature. Decisions,
falling mind and memory fails progressive
~. The loss of memory. reaches eventually
q phase when the patient absolutely does
not appreciate his surroundings; which Is In
the nature OF happy compensation. One
old man In our midst landed In this country
Breslau. Germany, and on many an oc-
caeion he has told me how much he enjoyed
a hunting or fishing trip on that very day.
His life here is spent amidst his long-de-
parted parents and youth companions.
American existence are almost wholly OBJ
liberated from his memory. .-i :
= sDementia paralytica, better known as
paresis. occupies a great deal Of our time.
II deserves mention If for no other reason
proportions, particularly within the con-
dnes Of the large cities. It cannot be dts
puted that this growth bears some causa-
tive relation to the nerve-rackinE and ex-
Z haust!hg hustle of modern city life. The