The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-27
Heat Is Equally Productive of
Mental Alteration.
Nine Cases Before the Probate
Court This Month.
SIX OTHERS WERE REPORTED
None of the Is Was Under 20
Years of Age.
Brunettes Are More Susceptible
Than Blondes.

Mature age is insanity's greatest ally
If the records of the Shawnee county
probate court for the last thirty days
count for anything. OF the nine per
sons who were found mentally def1-
Client during the month OF January IN
the Shawnee tribunal only two were
less than 80 years of age, records kept
by Miss Anne Ballard, probate clerk,
show Also, only two of the nine were
men.
More insanity cases were handled in
probate court during the month of
January, 1916, than in any other
month for several years. Besides the
nine cases which were heard before
Judge MacFarland, six other cases
were reported to the court. The latter
six cases are being cared for in private
homes or sanitariums and are not re-
corded with the county. OF the total
fifteen cases none of the mentally de-
ficient is less than 20 years of age. In
addition to the fifteen Shawnee county
cases, two other persons were picked
up by local officials and turned over
to other counties.
Weather Il Contributing Cause.
Extreme weather conditions also
serve as a contributing cause of men
tai deficiency, as the insanity records
show that for years in the hottest
months of the summer and the coolest
months of winter the largest number
of cases are recorded. Last June
seven insanity complaints were filed
January, the first month of this year,
broke a record for cold weather ex-
tremes. In January, 1914. six cases
were filed and in the same month of
1916 the mum Der has seven.
The ages of the nine persons found
insane in probate court this month
were. 40. IS, So. 90, 4S, 81, ~, AZ
and "a.
Brunettes More Susceptible.
When interviewed as to whether or
ct
more easily affected with insanity
than others prominent Topeka ply
stefan entreated that his name not be
put in the newspapers as the Shawnee
County Medical ssociation-whateVe
that is-was liable to get" him on
grounds that he was working for free
advertising. After being assured that
his sins would be covered up he stated
that observations had led him to be-
HeVe that brunettes We're more COM
monty affected than blondes-this be-
ing explained by the fact that bru-
nettes are more commonly sprung
from hot -blooded, high strung and
sensitive races. This theory is also
bolstered up by an observation of
tya pes that are more frequently seen
in probate court.
Liquor, dissipation and disease are
the material and direct causes of 40
per cent of the feeble mindedness of
the present time according to the OBJ
SerVallOn OF Judge MacF drland, VINO
has tried hundreds of cases since he
has beer probate Judge.
Some Forms of DeIusion.
Decisions of insane persons brought
itno probate court during the last
month have been. as is often the case,
remarkable. One woman ina gined
that she was being pursued by a
brown face that was trying to take
her baby away from her. One man
was suspicious of his wife to the point
Of wild dclusions and believed that
some one was trying to poison his
food. Others feared danger to them
selves or to near friends or relatives.
one young woman harbored delu-
sion that she had married her father
and did not find it out until after
wards. Religious rawlings and the be-
lief that they were in the midst of
grsat storms were also noted in 9TH
ers A woman brought into the court
Wednesday afternoon told officials
that she was a great author but said
some one was stealing her manu-
scripts and books.