The Washington times., 1908-07-25
ONE WOMAN HAD
TEN PERSONALITIES
Brain Specialist Says Ego of
Every Person Is Com
pick Collection.

One of the most interesting lectures
heard in London lately was that 10
which the Sociological Society listened
The lecturer was Dr. Albert Wilson. the
well-knOwn brain specialist, and in the
course Of his address, which he called
The Psychology Of Crime" he brought
forward several living examples of his
theory that the ego is not a single per-
sonality. but IS complex and made up
Of se-eral personalities.
An extraordinary woman with ten dit
ferent personalities. whom Or. Albert
Wilson had under his ccre as a patient
for about ten years. drew the doctor 70
the study Of the question, upon which
he is about 10 publish a books, SAYS the
New York Times. This young woman
was at one time blind, and yet able TO
draw by touch; at another so hopelessIy
lmbecile thas Sir Thomas Barlow ad-
vised her removal to an asylum; and a
few days afterward she was Just a
romping child.
After visiting many prisons and see
ing the prisoners, he asked himself
whether II was not possible that they
were prisoners because they were the
victims of circumstances beyond their
control And with a view to prosecut-
Ing this study. he went % the Salvation
Army There the authorities put at his
disposal an unlimited number OF dis
charged prisoners. He examined a
great many, and he came TO the conclu-
sion that they were not as a rule dis
associated personalities.
A Dual Personality.
There was one man. a murderer. who
had spent twenty years IN prison. He
was quite sane. but directly he took
alcohol ne became another personality
When he was drunk he would commit
crimes Of great violence. and when he
came TO" he was ignorant OF what he
had done After he committed the muir
der he know nothing about It until he
had been some months in prison. when
the whole story EMBODIED itself before
him.
AS an instance Of a sport" Che word
IS used in It's botanical sense Of freak
a highly respectable looking Old gentle
man with a white beard was shown on
the platform. He came OF a good fam
| ily, but when he was about thirty years
/ of are, being hard up, he borrowed
| something from his laEdlady without
/ asking her permission. The value was
| about so, and he was sent 10 prison Tor
I y
/ seven years behind the bars-and the
! whole proceeds Of his thefts were not
more than S25.
/ DIT. Wilson explained that this mar
ought 70 have been perfectly normal
/ But some hidden ancestral germ at
tackled him. and he had gone on steal
ing ever since until he Joined the Saliva
| tiOn Army.
! A criminal produced as the result OF
| environment was the next exhibit This
/ was Williams, a notorious burglar. and
| long known as the most dangerous
/ criminal IN England he was regarded
| with such fear that the home o1lce sent
/ instructions TO the prison authorities
THAT he was never to be approached eX-
! cept by two armed w rders.
/ Or. Wilson remark d that the man
| represented an Amos perfect product
| of what he called an evil environment
| II have stated" he continued. thai
/ this man has the brain or a cabinet
| minister. But ! am prepared TO go fur-
| Their than this. I consider he has a
brain superior 70 that OF many cabinet
ministers. certainly superior 10 that Of
| one have in mind