The Mahoning dispatch. [volume] (Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio) 1877-1968, 1910-03-04
STRANGE CASE OF HYsTERIA.
The Running Away Mania and Dnu
BILE Personality Phenomenon.

BILE Personality Phenomenon.
Professor Pierre Janet, in his
book, THE Major Symptoms OF Hy-
steria," describes a number of re
markable cases of what he calls
"fugue," or the hysterical mania that
impels people to run away. One of
these is the case of boy of seven
teen, living in Paris, who suddenly
lost all memory of his previous life
and his home. He left Paris, and
wandered about the provinces, at last
falling in with an old china-mender,
whom he accompanied, and for
whom he worked. The restoration
of his memory is described by Pro.
fessor Janet as follows:
"One evening an unlocked for
event rook place again. The days
work had been success the two
companions had earned seven francs.
The sold china-mender stopped and
said to r.: My boy, we deserve a
good supper, and we will keep to-
days feast; II is the fifteenth of Au-
gust On hearing this, the boy heed
lessly said: THE fifteenth of An
gust? Why, It is the feast of the Nir-
gin Mary, the anniversary of my
mothers name-day' He had scarce
ly uttered these words when he ap-
peared to be quite changed. He
looked all around him with astonish-
ment, and turning to his companion,
said: But who are you, and what
am doing here with youg"
The poor man was amazed and was
quite unable TO make the boy un-
derstand the situation; the latter
still believed himself in Paris and
had lost all memory OF the preced-
ing months. They had to go to the
village mayors, where with great diff
ficulty the matter was made more
or less clear. The mayor telegraphed
TO Paris, and the prodigal child was
sent back home"
One of the most remarkable cases
| of double personality on record is de
scribed by Professor Pierre Janet in
THE Major symptoms of Hysteris, y
The patient, whom he calls Marce'
line, first came to him about twenty
years ago. For several months she
had not taken any food and was oil
the verge OF starvation. After try
ing other methods of treatment She
was hypnotized, and a secondar!
state was induced, which, although
apparently artificial, differed alto
gether from the state in which sht
had been on her entrance to the
hospital She Immediately began tt
eat. and soon regained her strength
When she seemed on the road 10 re
covery IL was thought necessary Il
awaken her from the hypnotic stat e
which was considered artificial. In
mediately the patient fell back int
her preceding state. She was agail
unable to eat and in order to saw
her life it was necessary TO reinduc'
the hypnotic state.
The same experience was repeated
over and over again, and as Pro
| fessor Janet explains. things contin
ued In this way for fifteen years
Marceline would come to me In orde
to be put to sleep, enter into her aler
state, and then go away very happy
with complete activity, sensibilit
and memory. She would remain thu
for few weeks; then either slowl
or suddenly. in consequence of som
emotion. fall back into her numbness
return to the state We had consider
ed primitive and natural. with th
same visceral disturbances. TIL
forgetfulness was extended owe
whole years, and disturbed her exii
! tence completely. She would has
, ten to come TO me to get herse
transformed again. Things eontiT
ued thus for years together. till tn
death of the poor girl who suecuml
ed to pulmonary tuberculosis"