Injured Man's Mind Blank

1916

May Never Be Able to Tell of Wife's Slaying.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin. — The mystery of the murder of Mrs. Julia Demin may have been locked in the bruised, incurably injured brain of her husband, Louis Demin, whose skull was fractured when she was killed, supposedly by a burglar.

Demin is recovering from his physical wounds in the city hospital, but all efforts to get him in a condition to describe the events of the fatal night have failed.

It is now feared that when Mrs. Demin was killed her husband was so badly injured about the head that he will never recover his mental strength.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.

Insane Man Clings to His Blind Wife

1919

WILL BE RELEASED FROM ASYLUM TO JOIN HER.

Love Keeps Sightless Girl and Mad Husband Together Despite Obstacles Imposed.

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Lying in the Home for Homeless Women, a blind woman smiles. She smiles the smile of expectant motherhood.

In the City Hospital for Mental Diseases, a man smiles. His smile is that of a man about to be freed of the charge of insanity and allowed to return to his blind wife.

Dr. Earl Joseph Vollentine, graduate of Tulane College of Dentistry, will not be returned to the Southwestern Insane Asylum in Texas, if Charles H. Patterson, secretary of the Charity Organization, can prevent it.

Dr. Vollentine, says Secretary Patterson, will be released from the City Hospital for Mental Diseases in time to be near his blind wife when their expected child arrives. Instead of allowing Dr. Vollentine to be returned to the insane asylum in Texas, it is Secretary Patterson's plan to start the little family on their way to Vivian, La., where the husband has been assured work.

Not Dangerously Insane.

In the opinion of Dr. Henry Daspit, of the City Hospital for Mental Diseases, the young husband is not dangerously insane. He is merely the victim of nervous attacks said to have been brought on by overstudy.

And then there is the charge of his blind wife that her husband was sent to a Texas insane asylum by his rich father because the youth dared to marry her.

The story of the blind wife and the alleged mentally deficient husband verges on the dramatic — even melodramatic.

The girl was blinded when a child. One eye was lost when she fell on a pair of scissors. The other was shot out accidentally by the wad from a blank pistol. She was sent to the Blind Institute in Austin, Texas, by her father, of moderate circumstances.

It was while she was visiting her sister in Yoakum, Texas, that the young doctor first saw the helpless blind girl. First it was sympathy. Then it was love.

Marriage Was Annulled.

They were married. Then, says Mrs. Vollentine, her husband's father interfered and had the youth sent to the Southwestern Asylum in Texas, saying that he could be cured of his nervousness in about a month. The marriage was annulled.

The blind child wife waited. Her husband was not released. She grew impatient. So did he. He escaped. They journeyed to Vivian, La., and were remarried.

The husband obtained employment as a boilermaker. They saved money. Then the search for the cure of the wife's blindness began. They came to New Orleans to consult specialists. They applied to Secretary Patterson, of the Charity Organization, for help.

Making no attempt to conceal anything from Secretary Patterson, the young husband informed him that he had escaped from the Texas Insane Asylum.

Ask Return to Asylum.

Learning of the young wife's condition, Secretary Patterson had her sent to the Home for Homeless Women. He communicated with the Texas authorities, who requested that Doctor Vollentine be held until a representative of the asylum arrive to return him.

When informed by Dr. Daspit that young Vollentine's mental deficiency is of a minor nature, Mr. Patterson determined not to allow the young husband to be returned to Texas without a fight.

"If Vollentine refuses to accompany the Texas authorities back to the asylum," said Mr. Patterson, "I do not think they can take him forcibly."

Charges Father Opposes Her.

"My husband is so sympathetic toward the afflicted. It was when I lost the sight of my second eye thru an unfortunate accident that he was drawn toward me. He read in the papers how I completely lost my sight and told my sister he would like to know me.

"He was so kind and attentive that I loved him. We married — and then his father interfered. They tore him from me; sent him to an insane asylum and left me helpless. My husband was determined. He escaped. As our marriage had been annulled, we remarried and made our way to Vivian, Where my husband was employed.

"When we saved a little money my husband insisted that we go to New Orleans so my eyes could be treated. We came and then came our present trouble. But thank God there seems to be a silver lining to our dark cloud. He will be released. Our baby will be born and then we will go back to Vivian and happiness."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 11.

Note: Dr. Daspit's name in the first instance (in the original newspaper printing) was spelled "Despit." But the correct spelling is Daspit. He's referred to in books at Google Books, and was working at the City Hospital for Mental Diseases just as in this article.

Suggestions to the Wakeful

1902

If you are nervous and wakeful in temperament, don't overtax your memory, but if you have anything on your mind make a note of it. It will pay better to use a paper tablet than to exhaust your brain.

Do no mental work whatever after the evening meal. Use the evening entirely for relaxation, amusement, but not excitement.

When you go to bed stop thinking, or let the mind rest very lightly on some pleasant or even childish subject.

A hot foot-bath before getting into bed soothes the tired nerves, draws the blood from the brain and is one of the best sleep inducers.

Relax. Lie as limply on your bed as though you were a year-old babe. You cannot have repose of mind without repose of muscle.

The salt rub will be found highly beneficial with the bath. First wet the body with warm water, then rub hard all over with handfuls of damp salt, rinse and rub dry. — American Queen.

Note: This advice is from 1902.

Hysterical Women

1918

By The Medical Editor

A woman writes that a nerve specialist has pronounced her hysterical and she wants to know the nature of the malady. Professionally this is a much discussed subject. Not that there is any great disagreement about its nature and manifestations but regarding the real cause of it. There are many features about the disease that cannot be discussed frankly in a lay paper, but there are some generalizations which are perfectly proper to propound.

Those suffering from hysteria which is closely allied to other mental disorders, seem unable to properly adjust themselves to their environment. They seem to be lacking in the ability to exercise good judgment in ordinary matters of everyday life. They are likely to concentrate their energy on some emotional subject and go far astray in their deductions.

Hysterical people are those in whom the elements that go to make up personality are loosely bound together.

In mental organization the victims of hysteria are children.

This mental defect leads its victims into strange pathways. They become converts of peculiar creeds and sects. They aspire to be reformers and defenders and what not and they are invariably on the wrong side by virtue of their warped judgment.

—The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, CT, March 18, 1918, p. 12.

Man's Mental Power House

1914

On Proper and Wise Use of Brain Depends Individual's Value to the World

The brain is our mental power house; its electric product is thought, and our sanity is determined by the mental voltage we carry.

So long as we are live wires, so long as we transmit power, radiate love, give out sympathetic warmth, think individually and act collectively, we establish our right to live.

The lazy man, as has been frequently observed, us not only as useless as a dead man (and takes up more room), but he is a clogging drag upon the wheels of progress.

The man or woman blessed with imagination or anticipation possesses a sort of prophetic vision, a kind of instinct, so that they look upon life with prescience, strength of character and courage. This possession is not a gift of chance, but a cultivation that comes with useful activities.

Inspiration is the indicator of well-being in our mental power house — it is a by-product of labor, for without labor it merely becomes a mental dribble, a wasting (without renewing) of mental vitality. Inspiration is therefore the result of laboring, and when properly applied it is followed by achievements of great worth. Allied to labor, it expands its force. Unallied, it is soon exhausted.

The Body Perfectly Obeys Your Rapid Brain

1922

YOUR POWERS

Lulu M. Cargill, clerk in the New York post office, takes from Nina E. Holmes of Detroit the title of "champion letter sorter of the world."

Miss Holmes attracted attention by sorting 20,610 letters in eight hours, or nearly 43 a minute. Miss Cargill sorts 30,215 letters in eight hours, which is better than one a second. And she sorted the first 23,500 letters without pause. Then she stopped for a cup of tea. Sorting a letter means picking it up, reading the address, recalling the postal route to reach the address, then tossing the letter into the proper bag.

Miss Cargill is 26 years old. She has been a postal clerk only three years.

Miss Cargill, you reflect, must have wonderful co-ordination of body and mind. A brain that works with lightning swiftness has automatically perfect teamwork with a body that perfectly obeys her rapid brain.

The body is a collection of machines, each trying to work cooperatively for the good of all. It is a more perfect system of government than man has been able to devise.

Miss Cargill, judging from her work, has what scientists would call "an extraordinary well-balanced system of endocrine glands."

In the so-called "efficient" person, the body glands speed up when needed and slow down when the energy of the body is required by the other glands.

In a boy who is growing too rapidly, as a result of abnormal activity by the pituitary gland in the brain, the other glands slow down and surrender part of their share of the body's energy. With most of his energy devoted to growing, the lad is apt to be otherwise languid.

Or, for example, you suddenly are in danger, which requires a quick use of reserve energy. The word is telegraphed through the blood. The message is sent out by the adrenal glands, which stand guard as a mobilizer of reserve energy. Other glands slow down, as if saying, "If the adrenals fail in this emergency, we all perish."

The heart responds to the adrenals and rushes blood to the arms or other parts of the body that have to meet the danger. This rush of blood is why "the face goes white" in a time of peril.

The crisis met and conquered, the blood rushes back to normal distribution through the body. The other glands "come to life." The sudden change makes the person, calm in or, half-collapse "after it's all over."

—The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, Connecticut, Sept. 26, 1922, p. 3.

A Lady's Long Trance: A Spasm, A Comatose State

1878

A Lady's Long Trance

The Des Moines (Iowa) Register of a recent issue, says: Yesterday evening there stopped at the Given House Mr. and Mrs. Shadle, of Guthrie county, accompanied by some attendants. They are escorting to Mount Pleasant Mrs. Shadle, who has been in an almost continual trance ever since last June.

Some time last March, without any premonitory symptoms, the lady became insane, wild at first, and finally violent. She was visiting a sister near her own residence. Soon after her arrival there she began to talk strangely, and a few days later was raving with insanity, and at times very violent. On the 12th of June Mrs. Shadle had a spasm, from which she passed off into a comatose state, which continued without intermission until October 1, when she awakened and conversed, although incoherently. The next day she again fell asleep and has not since been awake.

She is fed by forcing her mouth open and placing the food inside. Her respiration is regular, but a little more frequent than that of most people of her age, which is twenty-nine. She has one child, a boy of four years. The first evidence of wakefulness she has exhibited since the 2nd of October was the day before yesterday, when she was carried from her home to a vehicle to be transferred to the cars. The little boy climbed into the wagon and placing his arms about his mother's neck, kissed her. Tears immediately rolled from the closed eyes, but they remained closed, and there was no other sign of waking. She is to be taken to the asylum for the insane at Fort Madison.


Ingenious Pickpockets

Lucy H. Hooper says that the Parisian pickpocket has invented a special mode of theft. The thief enters the omnibus, chooses his seat beside some well-dressed and apparently affluent person, and remains motionless and apparently absorbed in his reflections. But between his finger and thumb he holds a very small grain of shot attached to a black silk thread of extreme fineness and strength. When his next neighbor opens his or her pocket-book to pay the fare, the thief adroitly throws his grain of shot into the pocket-book, retailing the end of the silk thread in his hand. The pocket-book is closed and replaced in the owner's pocket, grain of shot and all. The thief profits by some extraordinary jolt of the vehicle to fall against his neighbor, and in that moment he draws in the silk thread and gains possession of his prize.

Insane Folk Rescue Four From Drowning

Insane Folk Rescue Four From Drowning

1916

Dive Into River Near Illinois Hospital and Save Women

Kankakee, Ill., July 29. — The heroism of three male patients of the state insane hospital and an attendant saved four women from drowning in the Kankakee river near the hospital yesterday, Miss Rose Homolka of Braidwood, a nurse at the hospital, was drowned before help could reach her. The other women were taken out of the river unconscious. Miss Homolka's body was not located for thirty-five minutes after she sank and all efforts to revive her were futile.

Five young women attendants at the institution had gone to the river to bathe. The girls who made up the party were Miss Homolka, Marie Wesley, Elia Clanahan, Nettie Sima, and Cuma McMorris. Miss Homolka, who was the only one of the part who could swim, was teaching the others. She had assisted one of the women to a considerable distance from the shore when suddenly she stepped into deep water. Both Miss Homolka and the young woman with her became excited and floundered about calling for help. Two of the party who were near the bank in shallow water bravely went to their rescue and in the excitement all got beyond their depth and, not being able to swim, floundered about helplessly, crying for aid.

Attendant Bert White and two male patients, who were assisting him with some work at the icehouse, ran at once to the spot, where they were joined by O'Donnell, another patient. All four of the men went to the rescue, but had great difficulty getting the women ashore, three of the women being unconscious when landed.

—The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 29, 1916, page 2.

Eugenics Move Aided by European Nations

1918

Commission in Scandinavian Countries Seek Common Laws Governing Marriages

[Associated Press Correspondence]

COPENHAGEN, Nov. 22. — Eugenics has been taken up as a study by a government commission composed of prominent jurists representing Denmark, Norway and Sweden with the object of introducing a mutual law regulating marriages and family rights. The Scandinavian countries are thus following the example of several American states in taking up the question of restricting the marriage of those who are physically or morally defective.

The commission, however, has not gone so far as was desired by the Danish, namely demanding that people intending to marry in all cases should give certificates to the effect that they were not suffering from any disease of such a kind that marriage ought not to be entered into.

Sweden would not go so far, its representatives asserting that this would be too great a personal and economical demand to make; and it was argued that it would lend to increase the already existing reluctance to enter into matrimony.

The commission thereupon agreed to demand that all insane and mentally defective persons, as well as those suffering from certain sexual diseases and epilepsy, may not marry unless the other party has been notified of the condition existing.

—The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, November 23, 1913, page 7.

Night Watchman Wants Vacation, Kills Himself

Waukesha, Wisconsin, 1915

AN EVERLASTING VACATION

Watchman at Walworth Almshouse Jumps From Water Tower at Night

On last Sunday evening, says The Elkhorn Independent, August Belk, employed at the county farm as night watch jumped to his death from a window in the fourth story of the water tower. He has been an employee of the county, working at the county farm for the past five years. For several years he has been in poor health and lately has been speaking of taking a vacation.


PATIENT LEAPS TO HIS DEATH

Wm. Blessing of Milwaukee a Suicide at Oconomowoc Resort

William A. Blessing of Milwaukee was drowned in a pond on the Tweeden farm near Okauchee last Wednesday afternoon, says the Oconomowoc Enterprise.

Mr. Blessing went to a sanitarium here a few weeks ago as a mental patient. On Wednesday while out for a walk, accompanied by a nurse, Miss Margaret Bauer, he broke away, through a fence and into this pond. Miss Bauer was almost as quick as her patient and ran into the water after him, and her calls for assistance brought Melvin Tweeden to her aid, but Mr. Blessing had drowned before they could get him out.

He was 48 years of age and leaves a wife. The remains were taken to Milwaukee on Thursday.


AUTO WRECKS HORSE RIG

Pitches Wagon From Road and Driver Refuses to Lend Aid

Charles Flemming, while returning to his home from Menomonee Falls last Tuesday evening, narrowly escaped serious injury. His horse became frightened at an oncoming auto and threw the rig and the four occupants into the ditch. No one was seriously injured though the buggy was wrecked. The auto stopped but it is said, refused to convey the people in the wreck to their home. The accident happened near the home of W. P. Connell on the county line and aid was given by members of that family.


JITNEY SMASH AT MENOMONEE

Glaring Headlight Causes Bus Driver To Leave Road and Wreck Car

Menomonee Falls News—Last Sunday night, with seven passengers in his jitney, Milton A. Perrin, had a serious accident, resulting in the total wreck of his car.

According to the best accounts the accident which happened near Muensberg's, Fond du Lac road, was due to the glare of an oncoming automobile and a dog crossing the road. The car with its load hit the dog and was ditched.

The first reports that the machine struck a telephone pole were untrue. The pipe connections to the gasoline tank were broken, and it is thought the tail light set the gasoline on fire and soon the machine was a mass of flames. The tank contained about eight gallons of gas.

None of the passengers in the car sustained serious injuries, though some received slight scratches and a bad scare. Dr. Rohr of North Milwaukee was promptly summoned and the passengers were taken to Muensberg's saloon. All of the occupants were later taken to Milwaukee by R. A. German, who also operates a jitney between Menomonee Falls and Milwaukee.

-The Waukesha Freeman, Waukesha, Wisconsin, August 19, 1915, page 6.

Slays Sweetheart, Called Moron, Imbecile, Inferior, Insane

1920

NEW HAS MENTALITY OF 12 YEAR OLD BOY

ALIENISTS ASSERT THAT SLAYER OF SWEETHEART IS A "HIGH CLASS IMBECILE"

By United Press Leased Wire

Los Angeles. -- Harry S. New has the mentality of a boy slightly under 12 years of age.

He is a moron, a "high class imbecile."

His mind began to deteriorate about two years ago when he was on the Mexican border.

His mind "exploded" in Topango Canyon on the night of July 4 when Frieda Lesser is supposed to have refused to marry him because of circumstances surrounding his birth.

These were the opinions of Dr. Ross Moore, alienist, called by the defense in New's trial on the charge of murdering Miss Lesser in an attempt to prove the accused man was insane when he shot the girl.

Prospects today were that the trial would continue for another week.

Dr. E. B. Hoag of Pasadena, mental expert and special lecturer for the University of California, analyzed New's case as:

New is constitutionally an inferior person; is of a psychopathic personality; a paranoic; suffers from dementia praecox; is feeble minded and insane."

He based his testimony on an examination of New, a study of New's history and of the evidence and depositions presented at the trial.

It was learned the prosecution will not deny the allegation that New is of an inferior mind, but will attempt to prove he is only dull not demented.

"Frieda Lesser must have been a remarkable girl not to have realized New's mentality," Dr. Hoag declared.

--The Appleton Daily Post, Appleton, Wisconsin, January 3, 1920, page 4.