New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-12
Cause OF the
Personalities

There were three notable shocks which
brought about the various crises in the
life of Doris Fischer. First:
When the child was three years old, the
drunken father seized and dragged her from
;he bed and threw her heavily on the floor.
This shock resulted in the development of
the first of the secondary personalities.
Henceforth the child and growing maiden
was sometimes the quite good Doris, and
then suddenly she turned into the perfect
imp of Margaret. The change is not in
aptly described by the ditty about the little
girl with the curl right down the middle
OF her forehead; only, in this case, it had
The characteristic of double personality, be-
cause 1t was accompanied by amnesia."
Second, came the death Of her mother,
her only friend and protector:
Although totally ignorant of such mat
'ers, the daughter succeeded without aid in
preparing her mothers body for burial and
N laying it out upon the bed; then ter
rlole pain overwhelmed her brain and she
Tell to the floor with complete loss Of con-
seriousness. On awakening she was an In
iant, or rather an idiot in knowledge of
lnings; but although she had lost for the
Vine the power Of interpretative conscious
ness, and did not know the meaning Of her
sensations, she retained much more than
me idiots or the infants power of reHec-
lion and showed facility in learning and
s'ering knowledge. To this phase of her
personal life, which existed for several
years DR.. Prince regarding it IS third
personality, gives the name of Sick Doris.
Orange TO tell, it was the mpish Margaret
WHO took the Sick Doris in hand; and a
very fantastic schoolmistress she made for
much distressed pupil.
About year later, very heavy fall, in
which she struck her head resulted in some
What alarming physical symptoms, but
seemed to have little or no influence upon
.ae development Of secondary personalities.
me process Of recovery, while the Real
Dofis was, 60 to say, coming to her true
ssn' brought out some rather startling phe-
homena during the hours of sleep, to two
groups Of which the names Of Sleeping Mar
care, and Sleeping Real Doris are respec-
asely given. In this way no fewer than
hss fairly distinctly drawn personalities 80
called are presented for psychological an
slysis and attempt at explanations; and
'aess appear, in the facts narrated, to have
many complicated and puzzling interrela-
H"ns, INCLUDING comic or semi-tragic inter
pay among them"
VI the FIVE the Real Doris appears 70
aaYe been Exceedingly sensitive, secre-
we somewhat pettish, and much given
70 moods, gifted with sesthetical ambi-
IONS, but not with extraordinary talents;
u truthful, not at all frank and out
,poken, and, although grateful, habitual-
y chafing under the sense Of obliga-
s'on." However:
ths secondary personality, Margaret,
.ss veritabie imp-~saucy. slangy, mis-
sa'ssous. thisvish, particularly active at
a'snssS when she would steal or mIslay or
ssslrey Dor!ss things; but also would
ssnsumes write out her Lessons for her,
vei1e Seeding and dousinesring like the
s7sS 81 school ma'ams. She easily
s,'aa her way about In rooms totally dairy;
sss son'd hssr the tiek Of watch thirty
sne f<et sway,
i. searst'x epntroI oycr Real Doris wsx
ss 81 lsks that of dsmen evsx one pos