361 Psychological Eeteospect
Very little has transpired during the past half year in connection with psychological medicine. The important subject of legislation for dipsomaniacs has again been brought prominently forward by a deputa- tion consisting of the leading men in the profession, who waited upon the Home Secretary to impress upon him the great importance of legislation for habitual drunkards. We cannot but regret that the House of Commons still ignores adopting any measures for the protec- tion of the victims of the growing evil and curse of this our nineteenth century. Many motions involving little importance have occupied much attention of Parliament, to the exclusion of matters of more con- siderable moment. Many murders and suicides have been committed by lunatics at large, and one extraordinary suicide was perpetrated by a prisoner awaiting his trial in Newgate. The modus operandi adopted in this case was peculiar, and we give the facts below of the circum- stances connected with the case :?
Extraordinary Suicide in Newgate.?An enquiry took place on May 2nd, before Mr. W. J. Payne, the coroner for the City of London, in the vestry of the gaol of Newgate, into the circumstances under which George Johnstone, aged 47, a prisoner awaiting his trial in the prison, who destroyed himself on Sunday night in a most extraordinary manner, came by his death.?Mr. Sydney Roberts Smith deposed that he was governor of the gaol of Newgate, and the prisoner was delivered into his charge on the 29th of March, having been committed from the Southwark Police Court with several other prisoners upon numerous charges of fraud and obtaining goods bjr false pretences. lie saw the prisoner on Sunday afternoon, between tour and five o’clock, and he then appeared as usual, and made no complaint. He was locked up in his cell at six o’clock with the other prisoners, and, as was the custom with prisoners before trial, no alteration was made in his clothing, and as he appeared perfectly cheerful and not at all desponding, no suspicion was entertained that he contemplated any act of violence. The prisoners slept in hammocks, supported by two straps at the head and foot, attached to four rings in the wall, and there was an inspection hole, and a watchman patrolled the prison during the night, whose duty it was to look in occasionally and see that all was right. On Monday morning, about one o’clock, in consequence of information he received from the chief warder, he went to the prisoner’s cell, and found him lying on his back underneath his hammock, quite dead and cold. The mode by which he destroyed himself was this. He had taken one of the straps from the foot of his hammock and placed it round his neck, and then, having previously folded up one of his blankets and placed it underneath the hammock, he laid himself down and passed a piece of wax-end through one of the holes of the strap. He then fastened the wax-end to one of his braces, and attached the other end of the brace to the ring at the head of the hammock, and then laid himself down, the upper part of his body being about 18 inches from the ground, the strap being perfectly loose in the front, the only pressure being upon the sides.?In answer to questions put by the Coroner, Mr. Smith said that the deceased did not appear to have any dread of his approaching trial, and, on the contrary, in the course of a conversation he had with him last Thursday, he expressed his belief that he should get off, and had considerable con- fidence as to the result.?A Juryman enquired hnw the deceased got possession of the wax-end.?Mr. Smith said that the deceased was by trade a shoemaker, and he had been employed in the prison in mending straps, and might have secreted the piece of wax-end that was the means of causing . his death.?Mr. Robert Mapperson, the chief warder of the prison, said that on Saturday the deceased wrote a letter to his brother-in-law, making arrangements for his approaching trial, and he never gave the slightest indication of an intention to commit any act of violence.?Dr Gibson, the medical officer of the prison, said he saw the deceased immediately after the discovery, and he was quite dead and cold, and rigidity had set in, and he believed he had been dead for several hours. He saw him every day while he was in the gaol, and at one time he complained of his back, and witness ordered him a fomentation and some aperient medicine, and he appeared to be all right. The manner in which the death was occasioned was quite unique ; the strap was quite loose, but the pressure on the sides no doubt stopped the circulation of blood in the vessels of the neck, and thus caused suffocation, and the death was no doubt quite easy, as the deceased did not appear to have made the slightest struggle.?The Wife of the deceased, who was present during the enquiry, was summoned as a witness, and she stated that her husband had repeatedly complained of his head, and when he was at large she was in the habit of fomenting it.?The Coroner, in summing up, observed that it was certainly a remarkable case of suicide, and the only question was whether it was committed under such circumstances as to amount to an act of self murder.?The Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict that the deceased destroyed himself while in a state of temporary insanity.
The following suicide by a boy is reported :?
Suicide by a Boy.?Mr. W. Carter held an inquest at Camberwell on the body of Charles Russell, aged 14, who drowned himself in the canal at Camberwell. The boy had latterly been in the habit of spending the whole of his money in gambling, and on the Saturday, after receiving 8s., his weekly salary, he lost it all at tossing. Ashamed to meet his parents, he went to the towing-path of the canal and drowned himself. The jury returned a verdict of ” Suicide while of unsound mind,” and expressed a hope that the police would do their utmost to stop street gambling.
Suicide oe a Foreign Gentleman.?Mr. William J. Payne, the coroner for the City of London, held an enquiry at the Board Room, Thavies Inn, relative to the death of Victor Valdenaire, a Prussian gentleman, who was found floating in the River Thames, near Temple Pier.?Both eyes were discoloured, and his skull was fractured.?Mr. William Heath said he was a barrister. The deceased was a personal friend, and an agent in England to his father, a wine brewer. He was a Rhenish Prussian. The deceased was highly cultivated. On Thursday before the suicide the deceased called upon him, but he did not see him then. He (witness) called at deceased’s residence, and deceased told him that he had just recovered from an attack of illness. On Sunday deceased dined with witness and his family, and he ap- peared quite cheerful. Deceased left him about eleven o’clock, and said he would call and dine with him on Wednesday. On Tuesday morning lie received the following letter:
” I dare not address you thus, though the act I am on the point of com- mitting will make me the execration to everybody. It is not the result of insanity, though I shall be glad if it be thought such. Now I implore you to keep the tidings as long as possible from my poor parents, or if they must be sent immediately, do so to Mr. Vichoff, co-‘director Vichoff, in Treves. I have written to him about it. I hope the money I leave behind will pay the first necessary advances. I have left my things all unpacked in order to avoid suspicion. I do not know whether I can ask you to have them looked to, as perhaps you may think it a shame to be brought in connection with a suicide. Also, in this case, I am so very much indebted to you for your kindness. I feel it the deeper, as I was very miserable the last few days. You may think it doubly strange that I should have the courage before hav- ing well commenced ; yet it is not also madness. Farewell. I conjure you not to write direct to my parents.
“Victor Valdenaire.”
?The Jury returned a verdict of ” Temporary Insanity.” This is a well-marked instance of a suicide in which no premonitory symptoms had been observed.
Mysterious Suicide.?Mr. Carter held an inquest at the Union Tavern, Yassall Road, Brixton, concerning the death of Mr. J. T. Hewes, aged 78, an independent gentleman, residing at No. 92 CamberwellNew Road, who shot himself, leaving on the mantelshelf of his room a memorandum stating what be had done.?Dr Edward Finder, of Camberwell Green, deposed that he found deceased’s brains on the stock of a gun and about the room, and the whole of the front of the head was shot away. From the position of the gun he must have lowered the trigger with his foot, and the discharge had borne away the whole of the skull, and caused instant death.?Mrs: Box, housekeeper to the deceased, and Miss Pim, who had lived with him for several years, stated that of late he had been restless, and expressed a fear, which they regarded as a delusion, that some one was coming to the house to arrest him for committing forgery. Upon this evidence the coroner was about to sum up, when some dispute took place between two solicitors who represented various persons related to the deceased. One of them wished to adduce further evidence, and called Mr. Joseph ITewes, a nephew to the de- ceased, who stated that about a fortnight ago he saw his uncle, and threatened to take proceedings against him in reference to the false registration of the birth of a child in 1842 or 1843. He also made reference to the forgery by his uncle of a receipt, for the presentation of whichwitness suffered two vears’ imprisonment. In reply to these observations his uncle threatened to blow out his own brains.?The Coroner having summed up at considerable length, the Jury, after deliberating for halt an hour, returned a verdict of ” Suicide whilst of unsound mind.”
A sad instance of friends refusing to recognise the mental condition. Dangerous Lunatic at Large.?Attempt to Commit Murder and Suicide in the Borough.?A desperate attempt at wife murder aud subsequent suicide was made on April lltli by a man named Worcester, aged 35, a furrier, living at No. 4 Collier’s Rents, Church Street, Borough. It seems that early in the morning loud screams were heard by the other inmates of the house. A young woman living on the ground floor, recognising Mrs. Worcester’s voice, ran up the stairs. She was horrified to see Mr. Worcester holding the bedroom door, and flourishing in his right hand a small pocket- knife. His throat was cut across about five inches in length, and blood was pouring copiously from the wound. He said, “It’s all right; I’m murdering my wife, so she won’t trouble me any more.” He then staggered towards the girl, who went for a policeman. Worcester was discovered in the back yard holding his throat under a tap. In the bedroom on the first floor front was found Mrs. Worcester, sitting on the side of the bed, her throat dreadfully cut, and her cheek and mouth cut open. Blood was streaming from her wounds. Further examination revealed another wound on the left shoulder, and her hands and arms were fearfully cut and jagged. The unfortunate man, it appears, has been for more than a year past out of his mind, and had been confined seven months in Brook wood Asylum, from which he was discharged a few weeks back. Nearly all the people in the neighbourhood were in constant fear of him on account of his strange manner lately. He purchased the knife on Saturday, and on Sunday after- noon his father saw him in the kitchen carefully sharpening it. His wife was warned to be careful of him, but she said she had no fear of him. When sane he was a good father and kind husband. Six small children are left in the house depending on such little support as the neighbours can give. The prisoner was brought up for examination on the 14th of May at Southwark Police Court, charged with attempting his wife’s life and his own. The wife, on being sworn, said the prisoner worked for Mr. Jacobs. On Monday night, the 10th of April, they went to bed as usual and on very friendly terms. Between seven and eight the following morning she was roused from her sleep by a cut on her shoulder near the neck, and she then saw her husband with a sharp knife in his hand leaning over her. She immediately jumped out of bed and fell on the floor. He then stabbed her on the other side of the neck. Witness called out, ” Spare my life for the sake of the children.” He was then standing by her side, and as she was getting up he struck her on the mouth. She roused all her strength and seized hold of him, and, after a severe struggle, succeeded in getting the knife from him, and then she nearly fainted. Mr. Benson asked her why she struggled to get the knife from him. She replied that he had cut his own throat then and was bleeding frightfully. He said to her, “Never mind, old girl. I’ll have your life as well, and we’ll both die together.” He then left the room. In answer to Mr. Benson she said she had been married to the prisoner eight years, and they had six children. He was a good husband and a kind father. On the 1st of August last he was sent to an asylum from that court, and returned home about seven weeks ago. Mr. Benson asked the prisoner whether he understood what his wife had stated. After looking at him for a moment he said that he did, but he wanted to know why Thomas Morris wished to take away his life. The wife here informed his worship that Thomas Morris was her brother-in-law, and had done nothing whatever to excite him. Mr. Benson remanded the prisoner, directing his immediate removal to the infirmary in Horsemonger Lane Gaol.
Suicide in Imitation of the Sultan.?A retired warrart officer of the Navy, named Charles Burch, committed suicide at Devonport, in a manner similar to that said to have been adopted by the late Sultan of Turkey. About noon one of his children heard him groaning, and upon being called by him went to his room, where she found him in bed, which was saturated with blood. He asked for water, which she gave him, and then ran for assistance. Returning shortly afterwards she found him lying on the floor quite dead. It was then discovered that the unfortunate man had opened an artery of the upper part of his arm and had bled to death. The deceased lost his wife about eighteen months ago and had been in a desponding state ever since; he leaves four children. It is stated that he had been reading the papers pretty much of late, and it is thought that the statement as to how the Sultan had committed suicide induced him to adopt a similar method.
This case illustrates an act of imitation in a lunatic as a means of destroying himself. We have had others of a similar nature brought under our observation, in which opening the veins in the arm similar to that adopted by the Sultan had been followed.
Exciting Chase after a Lunatic.?An extraordinary affair happened in the City. A sorter in the General Post Office, named Barton, having performed his usual duties, went into the lavatory, and, upon reappearing, was noticed to be covered with blood. His fellow sorters, believing that he had been making an attempt to commit suicide, conveyed him to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. However, whilst he was waiting his turn in the surgery, he took advantage of a moment when the backs of the officials were turned, and ran into the street. Making his way into the Metropolitan Meat Market, he was stopped by two policemen, but he broke away from them, and escaped altogether for a time. A few minutes afterwards the inmates of the house 22 Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell, were alarmed by some one running hastily upstairs, and it was found that Barton was going to the top floor, the front room of which he entered. Barton seized a knife which was upon a table, when the landlord of the house providentially came into the room and wrested it from the madman, who then ran to the window, threw it open, and attempted to leap out. He would have succeeded but for the intrepidity of Mr. Jacobee, who seized Barton’s legs as he was falling and held him tightly, calling for help meanwhile. A man living opposite, seeing the struggle, hastened to the rescue, and the lunatic was ultimately secured, taken to a surgery, and thence conveyed to the workhouse infirmary.
Attempted Suicide.?Henry Nicholls, telegraph engineer, of No. 23 Moreton Terrace, Pimlico, was charged on remand with attempting to com- mit suicide by stabbing himself in the throat with a razor.?Sir John Heron Maxwell, one of the Middlesex magistrates, was present on the bench in the interests of the prisoner, who had moved in respectable society.?It appeared from the evidence that on the morning of the 25th of May, the police were called to the house and found that a doctor was in attendance on the prisoner, who had left the following note, written in pencil, in his room :? ” The government have taken away my profession and brought me and my wife to beggary, and so I commit suicide.”?Prisoner having expressed his unqualified regret at what had occurred, which had been attributed to the effect of sunstroke in India, was allowed to be discharged on the promise that he should be taken care of.
The condition of the bones in insane patients having recently attracted much public attention, we have great pleasure in quoting the following interesting letter which appeared in the British Medical Journal:?
“Disease op the Bones in the Insane.
” Sir,?You will, I trust, allow me to observe, in reference to your in- teresting and instructive comments on the case of the late Mr. F. W. Wimberley, in the Journal of this day, that the peculiar liability of the bones of the insane to disease, and consequently to fracture, ‘ even when no extraordinary violence is used,’ has been long known. You have written thus: ‘Numerous observations on the subject have been made in recent years.’ Certainly to Drs. Clouston, Rogers, Brown, Sankey, and others, are due the credit of teaching, in 1870, that the osseous system of the insane is especially liable to undergo certain chemical changes, ‘ approaching that observed* in osteomalacia.’ Much credit is due also to Dr Morselli, of Florence, for his article entitled ‘Fractures of the Ribs, and a Peculiar Form of Osteomalacia in the Insane.’ Let me add, however, that long years before, or anterior to either one of the several gentlemen named in your editorial of August 19th, 1876, I had written thus, in 1857: ‘One word more; osteomalacia may be confined to one or more bones, or even to a portion only of the same bone. In the examination of patients who have died insane?inmates of the Middlesex Asylums at Hanwell and Colney Hatch?I have met with six examples of this affection of the skeleton : the greater number of the patients alluded to were afflicted with general paralysis. An interesting fact this, and one which bears me out in the views here taken of both osteomalacia and of this specific form of paralysis so common to the alienated.’ (See my Ganglionic Nervous System, chap. iii. ‘ Pathology,’ p. 265.) It was in 1842 that I detected, at the Hanwell Asylum, the existence of osteomalacia in those dying insane. Furthermore, in the Medical Times, No. 170, vol. vii. p. 195, et seq. (1842), is seen recorded by me a highly interesting example of the co-existence of osteomalacia and insanity in a female patient who died under my care at Hanwell, in whom six spontaneous fractures of the long bones?femur, humerus, and so on?were found postmortem. In this case I have described the skeleton as ‘ converted, in great part, into a dark semi-calcareous grumous matter.’
” Under the circumstances, then, you will, I trust, afford me this op- portunity to make a prior claim?one of no less than twenty-eight years’ standing?to the recognition of a ‘ condition of the bones of the insane,’ of so much importance both to the jurist and pathologist.?I am, sir, your obedient servant,
” James George Davey, M.D., M.R.C.P. Lond., etc. ” 4 Redland Park Villas, Bristol, August 19th, 1876.”
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