The medical jurisprudence of insanity / J.M. Pagan.

  • Pagan, J. M. (John MacMichan), 1802-1868.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medical jurisprudence of insanity / J.M. Pagan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    325/340
    Avas condemned to death, but his sentence was commuted to transportation for life. I had not an opportunity of see- ing Stirrat professionally, but I have never heard but one opinion expressed by those who had examined them both, that Barclay was more clearly a fit object of the royal clemency than Stirrat. I do not say that Stirrat should have been hanged, but that Barclay should not. Imbeciles are not only easily provoked and irritated, and possess little control over their passions, but they are likewise liable to attacks of furious mania, during which they are capable of committing any excess. These mania- cal accessions in imbecile patients are, for the most part, the consequence of intemperance, or of actual disease of the brain. A very interesting case of this kind has been described by Leuret. Joseph Piscatori was tried for murder before the crimi- nal section of the tribunal of Parma, in May, 1831. This man had been imbecile from birth, but had never been guilty of any criminal act. His maniacal symptoms be- came manifest upon the sixth of the previous March, and continued for forty-five days, from that time till the act of murder which he committed, during which, his insanity was obvious and well known. He left his home and wan- dered about the country; he refused food when offered to hira; and went to sleep in a hay loft, where he was heard complaining, and as if repeating prayers. He soon went away, and changed clothes with a beggar, caused his hair and moustaches to be cut off. He went to Lesignano, Avhere he asked charity, and begged some one to conceal him, for they wished to kill him, and soon became so vio- lent that he was obliged to be arrested. When brought before a magistrate, he asked if they meant to kill and bury him; if they would strike him in prison, and if they would not refuse him food; and he concluded by request-