The Washington times., 1927-01-24

the great psychiatrist. A. ]. Rosa.
roff.
Mayer, between severe attacks of
the same malignant psychosis, was
able to observe and remember what
went on around him better than any
man OF his generations. In spite Of
his intermittent lunacy. he worked
out and proved the principle of con-
servation Of energy, which Is more
important thing than 1t seems, be.
cause If a knowledge of this prin-
ciple were lacking, such .conven-
fences as electric lights and vacuum
cleaners. for instance, would be out
Of the question, and radio would still
be as much Of an impossibility as our
grandfathers thought 1t to be. Hut
1t required much careful observation
and comprehensive remembering to
work out that principle between iel
curing attacks Of lunacy.
White Describes Patient
Emphasizing the fact that a
lunatic may. retain his intellectual
faculties practically unimpaired, DIR.
w. A. White, superintendent of st.
Elizabetl's Hospital. describes a
patient thus:
much as moving an eyelash. without
any spontaneous reaction, without
expressing wish, he is orientsd to
time and place and person, Is con
versant with everything ,sbing on
about him. shows good school knowl-
edge, his memory Is faultless, shows
up well in an examination Of his in.
telligence, and denies feeling sick"
Time and again we have seen peti.
TONERS in court, fighting for their
cite in minute detail all the major
events that have happened to them
during the preceding several years,
all corroborated by Army orders
and other written records, and
come through the ordeal with
better showing than many in the
court room-perhaps the assistant
prosecuting attorney himseIf-couId
achieve.
"All that means nothing" the
hospital doctor testified. in effect.
Mental trouble Is not necessarily
incompatible with the highest de-
gree of intellectual efficiency"
That IL when the patient is IN
court, trying to get his release from
the hospital. Insanity does not
preclude the possibility of good
powers Of observation and memory
things.
But when patient, or half
dozen patients, come forward with
statements Of beatings up, of in
sufficient food or clothing. forced
labor under threats Of punishment
hf1f1 ~ khA UAA1.Sf
any attention to them. They're
crazy-they just imagine those
things.
When the doctor Is calmly and
dispassionately analyzing a patient.
man may be insane and yet be
"oriented to time and place. and
person." he may be "conversant
with everything going on about
him." and his memory may be
faultless.
Yet when that same patient gives
a clean.cut, coherent account of how
he was beaten by attendants, forced
to work under threat of punishment,
or otherwise ill-used-"Oh. you can't
depend on what he says" the doctor
assures us; hes insane"
A man cannot confuse imaginary
"beating-up' with real ones while
he Is oriented to time and place and
person, and conversant with every.
thing going on about him. If such
a man charges that he was beaten
up" the charge cannot justly be
evaded by pleading that the man is
a iunatic and imagined he was
''beaten up"
His mental trouble may, of Course,
be the kind that permits such
imaginings. On the other hand, It
may be the kind that does not. ac-
cording to DIR. White and DR..
Rosanoff. The only fair thing is to
investigate the mans charges by
some agency other than a rubber
stamp.
(AnOther Insta.l,nent TomOrrowI