Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-03-06
HALLUcINATI0Ns.
Bono Singular instances Of This Form
of Mental Disease.


of Mental Disease.
In ''The Riddle of Personality" the
author, H. Addington Bruce, analysing
the hypnotic treatment Of hallucina-
lions 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 obsessions that may In
wade the human mind, haunting 1t with
vampire-like insistence. One man. ter
rified 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 room with
closed doors; another may feel that
every one he meets is eying and criti-
cising 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 ludicrous were they not so
tragic.
Particularly pathetic is case that
came to Professor Janefs notice some
years ago. Nine. P. 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
IL she CHANGED to wake and could find
no coffee and rolls In the house she
| would pace her room In feverish anI-
iety until the restaurants opened In the
morning.
Somewhat similar Is another case re-
ported by the same authority:
"Here is a young woman, Que, TWEEN
| ty-slx years of age. In coming to see
US she brings with her large bag
and her pockets are filed to overflow
ing. What is she bringing with her
| in coming to US for a consultations 1t
is simply provisions for the Journey
She has in her bag and In her pockets
several pieces of bread, few slices OF
ham, some chocolate tablets and some
sugar. One would say that she was
going to cross a desert when 1t ID
simply a question of crossing a few
streets. The provisions are indispensa-
BILE to her, for, especially In the open
| air and in squares, 1t 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 you'd
be great If she did not know the Tenn
edy. All she needs is to strengthen
| herself. She eats piece of ham. puts
| piece Of sugar In her mouth and Is
| thus able to take a few more steps,
| But very soon it oil begins again. and
| It is only with the aid of rolls and
chocolates that she Is able to cross
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 IN oasis
that is, bakery. During this terrible
Journey she gets along as best she
can. She may pick up a raw potato,
capture an onion or few green
leaves. This hardly sustains her, but
gives her enough strength to reach a
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 I'M
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 or
thought and feeling and action. Then
and only then will the evil spirits or
obsession be exercised and the strick-
en- mind find itself once more In har-
mony with Its environment