Art. XXII. Facts illustrative of the Powers and Operations of the Human Mind in a Diseased State.
Art. XXII. Facts illustrative of the Powers and Operations of the Human Mind in a Diseased State.
1. Some years ago a farmer of fair character, who resided in an interior town in New England, sold his farm, with an intention of purchasing another in a different town. His mind was naturally of a melancholy cast. Shortly after the sale of his farm, he was induced to believe that he had sold it for less than its value. This persuasion brought on dissatisfaction, and eventually a considerable degree of melancholy. In this situation, one of his neighbours engaged him to enclose a lot of land, with a post and rail fence, which he was to commence making the next day. At the time appointed he went into the field, and began with a beetle and wedges to split the timber, out of which the posts and rails were to be prepared. On finishing his day's work, he put his beetle and wedges into a hollow tree, and went home. Two of his sons had been at work through the day in a distant part of the same field. On his return, he directed them to get up early the next morning, to assist him in making the fence. In the course of the evening he became delirious, and continued in this situation several years; when his mental powers were suddenly restored. The first question which he asked after the return of his reason, was, whether his sons had brought in the beetle and wedges. He appeared to be wholly unconscious of the time that had elapsed from the commencement of his delirium. His sons, apprehensive that any explanations might induce a return of his disease, simply replied that they had been unable to find them. He immediately arose from his bed, went into the field where he had been at work a number of years before, and found the wedges, and the rings of the beetle, where he had left them, the beetle itself having mouldered away. During his delirium, his mind had not been occupied with those subjects with which it was conversant in health.
2. Mrs. S., an intelligent lady, belonging to a respectable family in the State of New-York, some years ago undertook a piece of fine needlework. She devoted her time to it almost constantly for a number of days. Before she had completed it, she became suddenly delirious. In this state, without experiencing any material abatement of her disease, she continued for about seven years; when her reason was suddenly restored. One of the first questions which she asked after her reason returned, related to her needlework. It is a remarkable fact, that during the long continuance of her delirium she said nothing, so far as was recollected, about her needlework, nor concerning any such subjects as usually occupied her attention when in health.
3. A lady in New England, of a respectable family, was for a considerable period subject to paroxysms of delirium. These paroxysms came on instantaneously, and after continuing an indefinite time, went off as suddenly; leaving her mind perfectly rational. It often happened that when she was engaged in rational and interesting conversation, she would stop short in the midst of it, become in a moment entirely delirious, and commence a conversation on some other subject, not having the remotest connexion with the previous one, nor would she advert to that during her delirium. When she became rational again, she would pursue the same conversation in which she had been engaged during the lucid interval, beginning where she had left off. To such a degree was this carried, that she would complete an unfinished story or sentence, or even an unfinished word. When her next delirious paroxysm came on, she would continue the conversation which she had been pursuing in her preceding paroxysm; so that she appeared as a person might be supposed to do, who had two souls, each occasionally dormant, and occasionally active, and utterly ignorant of what the other was doing.
INTELLIGENCE.
