The hallucinated confounded with vagabonds, robbers, murderers, etc. - 1. Influence of hallucinations on the conduct during waking and sleeping - 2. Influence of illusions under similar circumstances - 8. Of sequestration, commission of lunacy, and competency to testify - Hallucinations causes of injurious and dangerous actions, such as suicide, homicide, robbery, arson, challenges, duels, etc. - Facts - The occurrences which take place in maniacal delirium and in acute delirium are often the results of hallucinations and illusions - Sometimes hallucination is the real cause of acts performed under the influence of an illusion - The decisions caused by hallucinations are sometimes instantaneous - Certain circumstances, such as darkness, etc., appear to favor them - The hallucinations of sleep may occasion crimes - Medico-legal examination of sudden hallucinations - Instances of illusions which have caused crimes - The delirium of drunkards is very frequently accompanied by hallucinations and illusions - Hallucinations and illusions explain many actions which appear incomprehensible.

A fatal destiny seems to pursue the hallucinated. If he. escapes from the hospital, he finds the gates of the prison closing on him. Such is, in fact, the nature of his disease, that he is regarded as a guilty man if he does not pass for a crazy man.

How often, indeed, have we had an opportunity of remarking that men, charged with vagrancy, robbery, breaches of the peace, and murders, were only unfortunate persons who had yielded to the suggestions of hallucinations and insanity.*

It is only a short time ago that the Gazette des Tribunauz related the misfortunes of a poor deranged man, confined at La Force as a vagabond: -

Case CLXIII

Last week a man, about forty years old, named Auguste Victor Chevillard, appeared before the correctional tribunal, charged with vagrancy. The incoherence of his answers, his melancholy, his wandering gaze, gave the court reason to suppose that this man might not hare the use of his senses; and M. Brierre de Boismont was commissioned by the presiding judge, Salmon, to examine him, decide upon his mental state, and make his report on the subject to the court.

* We protest against the too extended definition that has been given to the word monomania. There is no doubt that the aegis of insanity has frequently protected real criminals.

At the hearing on this day, Dr. Brierre de Boismont reported as follows: "I went to the prison where Chevillard was confined, and talked long with him. I asked to what he attributed his misery and vagabond condition. To this question he replied, with beaming eyes, and rapid and violent gesticulation; 'It is my enemies who pursue me everywhere; they have ruined me; still, they are not satisfied; they arrest me in the streets, and thrust me into prison.' - 'But who are these enemies?' - 'I do not see them, but I hear them; they talk to me, and whisper in my ears; they would take all I have left; but they shall not have it, even if they kill me, for I will swallow it with the last breath I draw. Such as you see me, I am yet richer than the Emperor of China and the King of Mogador; I possess the key of the treasures; and I can enrich whoever I will, and yet be no poorer.'

"For a time," said M. de Boismont, "I coincided with the hallucinations of this poor man, and asked him where his treasures were. ' They are in Prussia,' he replied, with confidence, but I have never been there; I have been farther - to Calcutta - but never to Prussia. I should want two thousand francs for the voyage and expenses; my bitter enemies prevent me from finding as much.' 'Do you think that your enemies get into your prison? If they do, I will give notice to the director, who will take precautions that you may be left in peace.' 'It would be needless; they would come through the walls.'

"On quitting la Force," continues M. de Boismont, "I went to Bicetre; from 1830 to 1843, Chevillard had been received there seven times. The memoranda on the registers, written by several medical men in the house, proved that he had been frequently attacked, sometimes with a restless insanity, at others with melancholy; and had been once brought in for an attempt on his life. I yesterday went again to see him at La Force; he is under the same influence; his enemies continue to pursue him, and he still holds the key of his treasures. Such are the facts which I have collected. My opinion is, that this man is under the influence of hallucinations which disturb his reason. Perhaps, if he were subjected to a long treatment, he might attain to greater calmness, but he could never be trusted alone; it would be best to send him back to Bicetre.

"At this, Chevillard, who did not utter a word during the report of the doctor, said in a low voice:'I will go no more to Bicetre; it is an inquisition; they all say that I am mad. Well! there is something for the unbelievers.' Saying this, he put into the clerk's hand a little square piece of paper, written on both sides. On the face was written: -

" '9th November, 1844. Whatever may be the opinion held of me, I engage to provide a happy fate and a prosperous and very agreeable life to the person who can lay out four or five thousand francs, and to give him a profit of from one to two hundred francs a day.'

"On the reverse: -

" 'Whoever may have only two or three thousand francs to lay out, may easily and securely obtain a profit of from eight hundred to one thousand francs per month.

" 'Seeing is believing !!!

" 'Chevillard, "'Rue Saint-Jacques-la Boucherie, No. 14, d Paris (Discharged).'

"The tribunal dismissed the case, and ordained that Chevillard should be placed at the disposal of the administrative authority."*

And how, indeed, could it be otherwise? If this man, who is convinced that he is surrounded with enemies; that he sees them before him, hears their threats, abuses, pursues, and endeavors to strike and kill them, by a singular aberration of mind - which has been an object of study with us in our article on illusions - should transform the figures of his keepers into those of his imagined enemies, the most serious consequences might result from the error.

Hallucinations in the example just given, have paralyzed the strength of the individual; absorbed by his one idea, he cannot devote himself to any kind of labor; to such misery, and i forced vagrancy, a prison is an inevitable consequence*

* Gazette des Tribunaux, Decembre, 1844.

But these waking dreams may involve the most frightful misfortunes. Who does not recall the catastrophe of the Rue de la Fiddlete, where a man, under hallucination, massacred, in the wanderings of his reason, wife, children, and neighbors, and immolated himself on this bloody altar?

Every paper recounts similar cases, and we lately read amongst them the following details: -