disregarded; blows, ill-treatment, and neglect are all inefficient to cure the propensity. It gives rise to fearful jealousy, which may cause homicide. It most frequently terminates in suicide or general paralysis, and, next to Theomania, is the most obstinate of these affections. A very interesting case is related in the "Correspondenz-blatt" for February 29, 1856.

6. Dipsomania.-A maniacal insuperable tendency to the abuse of alcoholic liquors, very frequently accompanied by intense horror of the practice, but inability to conquer it. It is to be distinguished from mere drunkenness. M. Esquirol observes: -"Si l'abus de liqueurs alcooliques est un effet de l'abrutissement de l'esprit, des vices de l'éducation, des mauvais exemples, il y a quelquefois un entrainement maladif qui porte certains individus à abuser des boissons fermentées. Il est des cas dans lesquels l'ivresse est l'effet du trouble accidentel de la sensibilité physique et morale, qui ne laisse plus à l'homme sa liberté d'action." A medico-legal inquiry into a case of this nature, when the intellectual faculties were perfectly sound, will be found quoted from Dr. Eulenberg, of Coblentz, in the "Annales Medico-psychologiques" for January, 1856. It is an extremely obstinate affection.

7. Pyromania.-A morbid disposition of mind, leading to acts of incendiarism without any motive. This may be either impulsive or reasoning. It occurs chiefly, but not exclusively, in young people. M. Marc gives many instructive cases, and Dr. Fritsch, of Rössel, in Prussia, relates a case which became the subject of medico-legal investigation, in the "Correspondenzblatt" for September, 1855, in which he gave the opinion that the boy was not mentally deranged, and consequently responsible. The question has frequently been brought before our courts of justice of late years, with varying results. This form is not so difficult of cure as some others.

8. Kleptomania.-A propensity to steal in an absurd and motiveless manner. A gentleman confessed to his spiritual director that in spite of all efforts he could not resist the tendency to appropriate what was not his own. The priest having permitted him to steal, under the condition that he always returned the articles, he was quite content, picked the priest's pocket of his watch during confession, and returned it immediately afterwards. Some most interesting cases clearly connected with morbid excitement are related by M. Renaudin in the "Annales Med.-psy." for April, 1855.

9. Suicidal Monomania.-Many forms of mental derangement are accompanied by a tendency to suicide: in some this morbid propensity seems to exist almost without any other delirium. This is also sometimes impulsive, sometimes reasoning,

but very frequently imitative.* It often accompanies the homicidal variety. The curability of this affection, when well established, is always subject to doubt; as, from various well-authenticated cases, there seems to be no limit to the period of time which may elapse in apparent soundness; and yet the propensity may return, and the act be finally accomplished. It occurs most frequently in adults, but sometimes in children of the tenderest years, illustrations of which may be found in our "Foreign Abstract" for April. Interesting details and cases are also contained in Dr. Winslow's work on the "Anatomy of Suicide."

10. Homicidal Monomania, manie sans délire, manie raisonnante, fureur maniaque, moral and impulsive insanity.-Such are some of the names given to a most important affection, under the influence of which a person, in whose intellect no flaw or imperfection can be discovered, may be suddenly urged on to commit murder unpremeditated and motiveless, and be considered irresponsible according to law, because of unsoundness of mind. Here it is that the two parties above alluded to are most completely at issue; and it is probably from unwillingness to admit this form of mania, that the independence of the faculties of the mind (from which the existence of such a form is logically deducible) has been so strenuously denied, and the theory of "solidarity" invented. It must be confessed that both these views have difficulties of no ordinary weight attached to their reception; for whilst the adhesion to the one would have a tendency, if not applied with extreme caution, to shield criminals from punishment adequate to the crime, the adoption of the other would frequently lead to the execution of irresponsible beings. No question in the range of science can be of more importance than this-none more difficult-none requiring in each individual case more caution, knowledge, and acuteness in its determination. No wonder that some are disposed to cut so gordian a knot by the assertion that such cases are impossible.

M. Esquirol seemed in 1818 to believe that in all cases of homicidal mania there was some detectible trouble of the intelligence. In 1838 he corrects the opinion as follows :

:

"Since that period (1818) I have seen mania without delirium, and I must submit to the authority of facts. The following observations demonstrate that if the insane, deceived by delirium, by hallucinations, or by illusions, kill; that if the insane, affected by reasoning madness, kill, after having premeditated and reasoned upon the homicide they were about to commit: there are others, monomaniacs, who kill by a blind instinctive impulse-they act without consciousness (sans conscience), without passion, without delirium, without motive;

* Vid. Art. on "Mor. and Crim. Epidemics."-April.

-they kill by a blind, instantaneous impulsion, independent of their will."

There are many varieties of manifestation of this tendency: some are influenced by chimerical and irrational motives; some have no motive at all, but feel impelled to commit the act of violence, against which they continually, and sometimes effectually, struggle. Conscious of their excited condition, they beg to be confined, or they implore the object of their blind fury to leave them. Some again, act suddenly, instantaneously; the will being overpowered by the impulse. There is no interest, no motive; most frequently the person killed is a child, or one most loved.

M. Esquirol concludes, 1. "That there is a homicidal monomania, sometimes accompanied by intellectual, sometimes by emotional disorder; sometimes by impotency of the will, which deprives the man of moral liberty."

2. "That there are signs which characterise this species of madness, and which, at least in the majority of cases, serve to distinguish insanity from criminality." The circumstances to be considered in forming a judgment on such cases are those preceding, during, and after the commission of the act. The constitution must be taken into account as to excitability; the habits of life as to peculiarity or eccentricity-something of this will often be found. The hereditary relations must be inquired into for traces of insanity. Those subject to this affection are generally found to have been of mild and amiable dispositions, and of religious impressions; but for some time, slight changes will have been remarked. The act may be coincident with puberty, or some physical irritation. Often preceding it, there may be traced headachs, and undefined disorders of sensation in the bowels and other parts. The crime may again be distinctly traceable to imitation, as before remarked.

At the time of the act, the differences between the criminal and the maniac are very strongly marked. The former kills from motive or interest, those who oppose his schemes, or whom he dislikes; the latter kills, without motive, those who are dearest to him. After the deed, the criminal flies, conceals himself, denies the fact, professes insanity sometimes, and adopts every conceivable method to screen himself. Nothing can be more opposite than the conduct of the monomaniac-he completes his murder, and the orgasm has passed away; he remains by his victim, and gives full details of the murder, aimless and motiveless.

Often the consciousness of the enormity of the act comes upon him with such force, that he attempts suicide, or delivers himself up to the hands of justice, imploring that he may be put to

death, to escape from his despair. A careful and conscientious examination of circumstances like these would generally conduct to a correct judgment. The question at issue between the opposed parties on the subject of monomania, is as to whether these cases are instances of true derangement, or (in the absence of any detectible intellectual disorder) of mere unbridled passion and unresisted, but not irresistible impulse; and hinges upon the independence, or the "solidarity," of the faculties of the mind.

We have found strong reasons for believing that the elementary faculties, at least, are in great measure independent of each other, in their normal condition. That A may be developed to the highest point, whilst B and C are almost nonexistent; and that any one may be excited by casual circumstances whilst the rest remain unaffected. And as a considerable proportion of pathological changes are only permanent and exaggerated conditions of physiological states, it is reasonable to suppose that one of these faculties may be even morbidly modified, all the others remaining sound.

Observation and analogy alike inform us that the same holds good in the more complex operations of the mind, such as those involved in the ideas of relation, judgment, &c. Whether it is the same with regard to the active faculties, must be decided in some measure by observation, although analogy seems very explicit on the point. Now the most careful observers say that these are as independent as the former; and it must be remembered that our knowledge of mental phenomena is derived exclusively from observation. We have no à priori information on these subjects; the independence, and the solidarity of the faculties are alike theoretic, if not supported by observation. If, therefore, it is shown on good authority that one class of faculties, for instance the moral, are disordered, whilst the intellectual faculties remain sound, and that crimes are committed under morbid excitement of the impulses or instincts, which overpower and annihilate volition, whilst at other times no psychical aberration can be detected, we are compelled to believe in the independence of the faculties, unless we discredit the evidence. It is certainly possible to object, as does M. Falret, that there is a fundamental morbid change in the entire mind, but that the observers have not been acute or careful enough to detect it. To this there is no reply, as it would be a gratuitous assumption, and one of a nature to subvert all scientific evidence.

In conclusion we feel justified in believing :

1. That the mental faculties are virtually independent, though very closely connected, functionally, in their normal condition.

2. That they may be morbidly affected, partially, or separately; one faculty being exaggerated, weakened, or perverted, whilst the others remain sound.

3. That such partial affection may constitute a disease properly enough termed monomania, or Oligomania, which may affect exclusively the intellect, the will, the appetites, or the passions, and that such cases are frequently met with.

4. That this disease is not a period of the more extended manias; but inasmuch as the connexion between the faculties is so close and constant, when one or a few have been disordered for some time, the delirium frequently, though by no means invariably, becomes extended, and the mania becomes general.

5. That crimes are committed of a serious nature under these conditions, for which the individual ought to be considered totally irresponsible; he being moved by the same unconscious and ungovernable impulse that many animals manifest under the stimulus of certain colours, odours, &c.

6. That motiveless, aimless, unnatural and anomalous crimes should always be carefully examined, as probably belonging to this class.

7. That much precaution is necessary in acknowledging the cure of any monomaniac once guilty of incendiarism, attempts at suicide, or homicide-though it is possible that such cure may in certain cases be complete.

The social relations of monomania, together with remarks on the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, we defer for the present, our limits compelling us to pause.*

ART. II.-WOMAN IN HER SOCIAL RELATIONS, PAST

AND PRESENT.

IN an early number of this Journal, woman was considered psychologically; let us now shortly view her in her social and political relations. The student of history, when once his attention is called to the fact, must regard with some surprise the scanty mention made of the female sex in those annals which profess to treat of the birth and growth of the nations of the earth. Where history merges into the golden land of fable, he will indeed find women playing a conspicuous and important part in the affairs of life; it was for a woman that Troy was ten years besieged by all the myrmidons of assembled Greece; in the quarrel caused by a woman that the fields of upper air resounded with the conflict of angry deities, while Scamander flowed

* The Editor of the "Psychological Journal" does not hold himself responsible for all the opinions expressed in this article.