The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1903-12-15
PHYSICIANS INTRODUCED TO TES-
TIFY CONCERNING DIFFERENT
FORMS OF INSANITY.
PARANOlA FREELY DISCUSSED
Man May Be Crazy on One Subject and
Be Perfectly Sane on Every
Subject But That One.

just prior to DR.. Grattan taking the
stand Mr. Breen recalled Beckman and
questioned him concerning the examination
papers when he was examined for policy
i'll the Ancient Order Uniteu Workmen
The questions and answers were read to
Beckman and he was asked if he gave the
answers. Beckman stated that the Ques-
tions were read to him and the answers
written in without answer. Much stress
was laid upon the question as to insanity
either in the applicant or his progenitors
he answer in each case being mo"
Beckman would not acknowledge that
he answered the questions and said they
were filled out by the examining physician.
To Call in Physicians.
Mr.. Breen then asked permission of the
court to call Mrs. Monahan and Scherrcr
to assist him in the examination.
Mr.. Denny objected to having physicians
assist the county attorney unless they
were practcing, licensed attorneys at the
bar The objection was overruled and the
physicians were allowed to take seat
with Messrs. Breen and Lynch
That Messrs. Denny and English pro
pose to contest every inch OF their ground
was manifested when DR.. Grattan was
called to the stand.
The courtroom was in verify the scene
of battle between attorneys on medico-
legal grounds.
Mr.. English displayed n keen knowl
edge OF medical terms and kept Mr. Breen
busy keeping tab on his questions.
Dr. Grat,an, who is graduate of the
Hahnemann Medical college, Chicago.
qualihed as an insanity expert and deved
INTO the different forms OF insanity. A fter
explaining the manifestations of insanity
Dr. Grattan took up its principal forms
ana dehned them III subdivisions, naming
dementia, idiocy paranoia, melancholia.
Mania, he said, was an exhilaration ex-
cesslve How OF ideas in rapid succession,
until all was confusion, while melan.
cholia was the reverse, incapacity to think
only on one subject, varying for different
periods. He dwelt upon the division
called paranoia, and gave the subject di-
rect and hypothetical treatment.
Hereditary Insanity.
Paranoia, according to DR.. Grattan, is
the result OF hereditary insanity, mani
tests itself in the form of some special
mania 1t could be produced by some
abuse OF the father or the mother, being
an habitual drunkard, for instance.
The doctor cited several illustrations to
demonstrate the condition. you vii!
find man perfectly sane on all subjects
but one. That subject may be invention,
or 1t may be like Mary Anderson's lover,
who was perfectly sane, bur who imagined
that he was loved by woman high above
his station, and would hold imaginary con-
versations with her.
Sometimes a victim Of paranoia will
have an acute memory for event OF dates,
and may be exceptionally bright in some
particular line. The effects OF paranoia
may remain dormant from infancy to the
age Of adolescence and then break forth in
all its fury"
DR.. Grattan was on the stand when re-
cess was taken at noon until o'clock.
AT the afternoon session Mr.. Denny
requested the privilege of offering a photo
graph Of Beckman's brother to show his
condition.
The photo was ruled out on the grounds
that it did not establish hereditary in
sanity.
DR.. Grattan's Testimony.
DIR. Grattan went deeper into the de-
tails of insanity, dwelling principally on
what is called paranoia, and in describing
the difference between maniac and a man
afflicted with the above form he stated
that often circular insanity and paranoia
were similar, that in the former man
would jump from one extreme to another.
Paranoia took on the form Of progressive
insanity, and was distinguished by both
outward and inward marks Of deformty.
He citel deformed palate as symptom
OF paranoa and that in every case there
was some irregularity in the features or
limbs Of the party afflicted.
Under his deductions a man might go for
number of years and suddenly break
forth violently, and again he might
assume what is called mclancholia, and re-
main harmless or commit suicide. He had
had much experience in treating insanity
and had made a special study Of it.
In reply to a question as to Beckman's
being a paranoia from the effects OF the
treatment accorded his mother prior to his
birth, the witness stated that the connec-
ton was absolutely established in his mind,
and that taking the case from some other
source he would predict that person born
under such circumstances would in time
either kill somebody or commit suicide,
The fact of Beckman's addiction in youth
to the habit of eating filth denoted an alb
normal condition of the brain.
Mr.. Breen cross-questoned the doctor
as to his right to practice medicine, and
the latter stated that he was compelled to
go into court to get his certificate, owing
to the prejudice against advertising dis
played by the examining physicians.
"Werc there any physicians on that
jury?" asked Mr.. Breen.
No; they were all good, honorable
men,"
The remainder of the afternoon was
consumed in crosses examining Dr. Grattan.
The afternoon yesterday was CONSUMED
in the hearing of testimony introduced
by the defense to show Becknan to have
been insane at the time he committed the
murder.
Great Hand to Brood.
Chauncey c. Smith testified that he had
worked with Beckman at Gerald's restau-
rant and that he had occasion to observe
the lencan Of the acG.asad