The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-02-28
HALLUclNATIONS.
Come Singular Instances of This Form
of Mental Disease


In "The Riddle Of Personality" the
author, III. Addington Bruce, analyZing
the hypnotic treatment of hallucina-
tlOns or irrational fears that often end
in madness or suicide, says:
Few people are aware Of the extent
and variety Of this form of mental dis
ease. There is, in truth, no predicting
the strange obsesslons that may in
wade the human mind, haunting II with
vamprelike insistence. One man, ter
riied by he knows not what, may find
himself unable to cross an open space;
another be afraid to venture outdoors
alone; another to sit in q room with
closed doors; another may feel that
every one he meets Is eying and criti-
clsing him; another asserts that he Is
made Of glass and must exercise the
greatest care to prevent himself being
smashed to fragments. Such fears
would be ludlcrous were they not SO
tragic.
Particularly pathetic Is a case that
came to Professor Janet's notice some
years ago. Nine. T., a dyspeptic, had
been put on diet of toast and water
and, rebelling. was wont to indulge in
secret in coffee and rolls. These she
found did her little harm, and gradual
~ the habit grew upon her until finally
she passed her entire time wandering
from one Partisan restaurant to an
other, drinking from twenty to thirty
cups OF coffee a day and consuming
Incredible quantities OF rolls. At night
II she chanced to wake and could find
no coffee and rolls in the house she
would pace her room in feverish anx-
iety until the restaurants opened in the
morning.
Somewhat similar is another case re-
ported by the same authority:
Here Is young woman, Que, twen-
ty-siX years of age. In coming to see
us she brings with her large bag,
and her pockets are filled to overflow
Ing. What is she bringing with her
in coming to us for a consultation? 1t
is simply provisions for the journey.
She has In her bag and in her pockets
several pieces of bread, q few slices Of
ham, some chocolate tablets and some
sugar. One would say that she was
going to cross desert when II Is
simply question Of crossing few
streets. The provisions are indispensa-
BILE TO her, for, especially In the open
air and In squares, it is absolutely
necessary that she should take some
thing TO strengthen her. At the end
of several steps she feels dazed, be-
comes dizzy, chokes and is covered
with cold sweats. The danger would
be great If she did not know the rem
edy. All she needs is to strengthen
herself. She eats piece of ham, puts
n piece of sugar In her mouth and Is
thus able to take q few more steps.
But very soon it all begins again, and
It Is only with the aid Of rolls and
chocolates that she is able to cross a
square. One can therefore under
stand her miserable plight when her
provisions run short She is obliged
at all costs, with unheard of efforts,
to cross the desert to reach an oasis
that is, q bakery. During this terrible
journey she gets along rs best she
can. She may pick up raw potato,
capture an onion or few green
leaves. This hardly sustains her, but
gives her enough strength to reach
bakery. In general she prefers to re-
main at home. That is less danger
Gus, and so she does nothing else but
prepare and eat food all day long"
For such unfortunates there Is little
hope unless they place themselves un-
der the care of the skilled psychopa-
biologist, the savant accustomed to eX
plore the vagaries OF the mind and
able to touch the hidden springs OF
thought and feeling and action. Then
and only then will the evil spirits OF
obsession be exercised and the strick-
en- mind find itself once more In har-
mony with its environment