A manual of medical jurisprudence : with special reference to diseases and injuries of the nervous system / By Allan McLane Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, Allan McLane, 1848-1919.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of medical jurisprudence : with special reference to diseases and injuries of the nervous system / By Allan McLane Hamilton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    scaffold. While in this state, and with a hope of convincing her of its safety, the child was brought to visit her. When she be- held it there was a temporary burst of maternal affection ; she kissed it and for a few moments appeared to be delighted. But a look of suspicion quickly succeeded, and this was followed by a frown of indignation, which rendered the removal of the child a measure of wholesome necessity. Per- haps in no instance was the buoyancy of madness more con- spicuous over reason, recollection, and feeling. She insisted they had attempted to impose on her a strange child, which bore a faint resemblance to her own ; however, by such subterfuges she was not to be deceived ; she had strangled the child until life had totally departed, and it was not in the order of nature that it should exist again. The effect of this interview was an exasperation of her disorder ; she became more cun- ning and malignant, and her desire for an ignominious death was augmented. To render this more certain and accelerate her projected happiness, she enticed into her apartment a young female patient, to whom she appeared to be attached, and hav- ing previously plaited some threads of her bed-quilt into a cord, she fixed it round the neck of the young woman and proceeded to strangle her. Fortunately some person entered the room and unloosed the cord in time to save her. When this unhappy maniac was questioned concerning the motive which induced her to attempt the destruction of a person for whom she had manifested kindness, she very calmly replied that as the mur- der of her own child was disbelieved she wished to exhibit a convincing proof of the ferocity of her nature, that she might instantly be conveyed to Newgate and hanged, which she de- sired as the greatest blessing. With considerable satisfaction we may add that in a few months, notwithstanding her de- rangement had been of three years' duration, this woman per- fectly recovered, and for a considerable time performed the duties of an important and respectable office. Homicide Through Insane Inspiration.—The instances when the individual commits a crime under the influence of an insane inspiration are numerous. Dr. Gray reports the case of a man, aged 65, married, two children, farmer, temperate ; was a case of periodic mania, and had suffered from several previous attacks. Had been insane a month prior to admission, was talkative, incoherent and exalted in his delusions. At- tempted to kill his son with an ax and a pitchfork, under the delusion that he had received a divine commission to perform