Case CLXXIV

Jonathan Martin, that modern Erostratus, who burned York Minster, said to the examining judge: "Your accusation of theft is devoid of common sense, and you had better give it up; I never intended to purloin anything; but, having received intimation from an angel that it was the will of God I should set fire to the cathedral, it was necessary to supply myself with evidence that I alone committed the act, in order that I should have the honor, or, if you prefer the expression, the odium of the deed." Jonathan Martin, being declared a lunatic, was confined in Bedlam, where he still remains.

Case CLXXV

A girl, named Grabowska, under fifteen years of age, suffering from nostalgia, set fire in two instances to a house, in order that she might quit her masters. She declared that, from the moment she entered their service, she was tormented with a desire of incendiarism. It appeared to her that a spirit was always present with her, urging the deed. It was discovered that the girl had for a length of time suffered from violent headache, and a delay in the physical changes usual to females of that age.*

Case CLXXVI

A man, about thirty years old, was brought to my establishment, under a suspicion of feigning insanity.

* Marc, Memoires ear la Pyromanie, t. ii. p. 356. Des monomanes - Klein, vol. ix. Annates Judiciaires.

There was a deficit of several thousand francs in the house of business in which he was engaged, of which he either would not or could not give any account. In three hours after his arrival, he threw a whole set of chimney-ornaments into the fire. The superintendent asked him why he committed so unreasonable an act. For some time he made no reply, but, at length, in a low and mysterious voice, he said: "He ordered me to do it." From that time, it was impossible to draw from him another word; and he soon fell into complete dementia.

We have shown how often hallucinations are combined with illusions which may, in their turn, be the occasions of instinctive decisions of the highest importance. A knowledge of cases, in which the existence of mental alienation was undoubted, would serve as guides in analogous cases, which, not having been before recognized, or occurring suddenly, might perplex both physicians and lawyers.

The doctor mentioned by Esquirol, who nearly died from the effects of bleeding, without any modification either of his insanity or hallucinations, believed that he one day saw one of the keepers paying court to his wife, and rushing upon him, wounded him severely.

Case CLXXVII

Madame B., highly educated, but very romantic and excitable, was married at twenty years of age. This union appeared happy for a very long time. But as a critical time of life approached, her mind evinced derangement of a very remarkable character. She imagined that her husband had sold her, and that she was dishonored in his sight. Her religious ideas became exceedingly developed; she believed herself in communication with heavenly intelligences, heard divine voices, and received revelations from the Deity. At this time, she conceived a hatred of her husband, which constantly increased. She incessantly spoke of doing him some violence. Her sister frequently remonstrated with her on the subject; and being one day more than usually importunate, Madame H. seised her by the throat, and endeavored to strangle and throw her from the window.

After this paroxysm, she passed a month in the establishment of Dr. Pressat; and although, when removed, her conversation was rational, she was still under much religious excitement. She was continually in the churches, where she seemed to see marvellous things. Still, at home, she appeared tolerably calm; but her husband, who felt uneasy, locked himself every night in his room. One night he heard a gentle tap at his door; he immediately arose, and inquired who was there, but received no reply. Half an hour after, he again heard a knock, and this time his question was answered by his wife, who. said, in a complaining voice: "My dear, I am ill, and am come to ask your assistance." The husband opened his door, and Madame H. instantly struck him five blows on the head with an iron bar. With the energy of despair he pushed her out, fastened the door, and fell, covered with blood.

On the following day, Madame H. was taken back to the establishment where she had previously been. In a few days she became more calm, and said she could only explain the act by an aberration of mind. "I imagined," she said, "that my husband was metamorphosed into a demon, and I looked on him with horror."

Some months subsequently, this lady was removed to my establishment in the Rue Neuve Sainte-Genevieve. She was then very tranquil. Her conversation was rational and animated, but her antipathy to her husband continued.

Her sister, who had so narrow an escape from being her first victim, came often to see her; she loved her much, and expected her visits with impatience. When I was interrogating her on the insane attempt she had one day made on the life of this sister, she said: "How could I help it? - when I sprang upon her, she appeared to me a green and hideous corpse, whose looks were diabolical; the sight filled me with so much horror that I wished to get rid of it in any way." These reasons were similar to those which induced her to strike her husband.

This lady, who, during her residence with me passed her days and evenings with my family, was attacked several times with hallucinations and illusions. Notwithstanding her style of life, and the apparent sanity of her conversation, her looks were at times so malicious that I forbade any but the regular attendants to enter her room. When tormented by illusions, she uttered deadly threats, against which we took precautions by locking her up in her own chamber.

Examples of this kind cannot be too carefully studied, for they may be the cause of ill-founded censures, and of interpre-34 tations the most opposed to truth - so deceitful are appearances! Such, in fact, was the case in an event which was thus reported in the Bulletin des Tribunaux: -