Evening star., 1922-09-22
washington Physician De-
cIares Alleged Slayer Has
Ailment of Brain.
BREAKDOWN FASTENED
BY EXPERIENCE IN WAR
Specialist Compares Prisoners
Brain to Decayed Limb
of a Tree.
From 4 Stan Correspondent,

l
september 22.-Dr. Herbert ]. Bry-
son Is incapable of distinguishing
nsht from wrong and has been since
bis return from overseas. This was
the testimony given by Dr.. Charles
b Luce of Washington. Bryson's for
mer personal physician. at today's
| session OF the trial of DR.. Bryson for
the murder OF his companion. Mrs.
Helen Irene Haines, at CassyiJIe on
April 8.
DR.. Luce said the doctor was insane
! as the result of a progressive de-
generative disease of the brain, evil
dencfng itself by an Inflammation OF
| the arteries leading to the brain. He
said a cure Is not likely in its pres
| ent stage.
DR.. Luce testified he knew Bryson
since 1903 as a fellow member Of the
District National Guard medical de-
partment He also testified to
marked change in personal appear
ance in DR.. Bryson upon the iatters
return from overseas at the close OF
the war. He noted in Dr. Bryson,
TOO: ne said, a change in mentality.
q 1auIty memory and his converse
.Ioh from man of good judgment
| TO one lacking in this respect.
Describes Mental Defects,
When he saw DR.. Bryson at the
| county jail here on September S last,
witness stated, he observed a de-
cided lack OF use Of Bryson's right
leg and right arm. and a very notice.
able dragging of the right side. DR..
Luce testified he was Bryson's per-
sonal physician for six months after
his return from overseas, and that in
MS opinion DR.. Bryson was q sick
overseas. and was also a sick man
when the examination took place on
| September S.
DR., John n LsAa of Washington,
! specialist on mental and nervous dis
eases and consuitants to the United
States Public health Service, was
called TO the stand today by the de-
Tense for expert testimony on DR..
Bryson's present condition
He declared that he had examined
Bryson on two occasions. and testi-
fed that Bryson was suffering from
an organic brain disease He brought
out the fact that DR.. Bryson had pro
viously been treated for this condi-
ther declared that the disease process
was insidious in its onset and that
the first symptom manifested was
that of mental weakness.
He backed up his statement as to
mental weakness. by calling attention
to testimony which demonstrated Dr.
Bryson's failure to carry out the SIM
plest Of medical duties. Witness
was shown on numbers Of occasions,
the most important of which con-
cerned the making of the simplest of
diagnoses.
Appearance Changed.
DR.. Ladd characterized his treat
ment in some cases as absurd and
even at times, he declared, that his
actions caused him to be discharged
by the family of the patient. He also
called attention to the change in his
perconal appearance. and his decline
from meticulously attired indi-
vidual to one of unkempt appearance.
Dr. Ladd declared that mental de-
fects were emphasized by his failure
to remember places in which he had
been stationed. as though they were
entirely erased from his memory. and
at times his complete failure to rec
ognize most intimate friends.
He pointed to the semi-paralysis of
the right side of the body with facial
result of impaired brain activity The
main point of DR.. Ladd was that the
overseas experiences of DR.. Bryson
had not caused the condition in which
he was at present. but had acted rs
an additional burden on his mind
which resulted in the greatest break
down of mentality that he had SUI
fered He likened DR.. Bryson's brain
to the decayed limb Of a tree. He de-
picted him as suffering from the dis
rnf,n int he hnf q
area and as breaking under the stress
Of battle like the decayed tree limb
when the storm of shell fire reached
its height
the condition was not a functional
one nor the results of so-called war
neurosis. but a disease clearly defined
in its cause.
Evidences OF Disease.
DR.. Ladd said that frequent mani
festation OF the disease. which he
definitely stated was general paresis
resulting in an unsound mind, was
tho sufferer "worshiping at the shrine
of Venus
He said that DR.. Bryson had ad-
mitted that he had received treat
ment for a specific disease. but that
Describing the type of disease af-
fecting DR.. Bryson, he said that the
technical names previously used by
physicians on the stand we're de-
scriptive Of manifestations of the dis
ease. and that paresis was the de-
scr.pttye or clinical term given the
disease. -
Probably there was never a case in
Huntington courthouse that brought
40 many women to the scene. Accord
ing to oldest inhabitants here. Al
most three out Of five spectators, 1t
anpeared, were women.
Dr Tom A. Williams, who testified
Yesterday afternoon, was recalled to
the stand today. He went into more
minute details of the case, taking up
specific instances Of the conduct OF
DR.. Bryson.
Many a man, he said, has killed
himself through this disease or killed
others without the actual cause being
known. Also, too. he said, without
knowing 1t. Sufferers from the
disease have ruined their families by
Foolish investments of money, the
true cause being clouded.
While to the casual observer, he
said, the man may appear quite nor