832 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



insufficient food. The close association of the two and the solitary- 

 life which they led were also important factors in the case. 



I would not for a moment subscribe to the doctrine that insan- 

 ity is contagious and communicated from one to another, as, for 

 instance, smallpox is, and I altogether repudiate the common idea 

 that it is easy to become a lunatic when compelled to associate with 

 and listen constantly to the ravings of madmen. The immunity of 

 doctors and nurses who live among the insane and associate with 

 them constantly is sufficient proof that under ordinary circum- 

 stances, when there is neither hereditary tendency nor neurotic 

 temperament, there is but little danger of being affected by associa- 

 tion with the insane. Of course, no medical superintendent would 

 knowingly engage as a nurse one who was ignorant and super- 

 stitious, or one who was unduly nervous or inclined to insanity 

 from hereditary influences, and that is probably the chief reason 

 why so few cases of mental trouble occur among those whose lives 

 are passed in the midst of the melancholy wrecks of human 

 minds. This brings to mind the popular fallacy that an insane 

 person is apt to be made worse by being sent to an asylum where 

 he must associate with others who are insane. Experience proves 

 this belief to be entirely unfounded, for as a general thing the 

 insane, being occupied entirely by their delusions, take little notice 

 of their surroundings, and hence the appropriateness of the 

 French term aliene a stranger to the world in which he lives. 

 Of course, when recovery begins, the situation is different, but 

 even then the associations are not generally injurious, for the con- 

 valescing patient often takes an interest in his less fortunate fel- 

 low, which does much to promote his recovery, as well as to make 

 him realize that he himself has been insane. 



But, notwithstanding my lack of belief in the contagiousness 

 of insanity, I believe, as stated at the beginning of this article, 

 that under certain conditions insanity may be communicated or 

 developed by association, and this paper is written with the hope 

 that some practical hints may be gathered from the observation 

 of cases similar to the ones I have described. It is obvious that 

 when insanity exists in a family it is highly injudicious to subject 

 other members of the family, especially those who are neurotic, to 

 the influence of the insane member. The danger is much greater 

 when the delusions are of a persecutory character, and women 

 are much more liable to be affected than men. Acute mania or 

 dementia are not likely to communicate themselves, but not in- 

 frequently a mental breakdown occurs in other members of the 

 family, due to the loss of sleep, confinement, and irregular habits 

 which the home care of such cases involves. When insanity has 

 spread, or communicated itself to another, as it were, the course 

 is plain. Separation must take place at once, and it is not at all 



