THE JURISPRUDENCE OP INSANITY. 49 



organisms, the doctors ought to be the proper, and indeed the sole 

 judges ; but if there be such a thing as mental unsoundness with 

 physical integrity, then the lawyers have good foundation for their 

 reasoning. 



There is a form, perhaps many forms of physical disease, which 

 result inevitably in mental weakness, and so given certain symptoms 

 the result is predicated to a certainty almost mathematical. 



There is a disease which I take as an example, because it is pro- 

 bably as good for a popular example of medico-legal strife as any 

 other : a disease called Locomotor Ataxia. The name primarily 

 suggests a want of order in physical movements ; as for example 

 when the patient in attempting to drink would bring the glass to 

 his ear, or would walk to the window in the endeavour to go out the 

 door. 



To be exact I append the examination of Dr. Seguin, Specialist 

 Professor of Diseases of the Mind and Nervous System in the 

 University of the City of New York, in reply to questions I put to 

 him in a contested Will case a few years ago. The doctor, after 

 referring to the different stages of the disease, replied as follows : — 



Q. Please define briefly the first and second stages of this disease, [Loco- 

 motor Ataxia.] — A. The first stage is characterized by the recurrence of pecu- 

 liar neuralgic pains in the legs, by absence of reiex movements at the knee, 

 and by double vision in some cases. The second stage consists in the above 

 symptoms, with the addition of a staggering, jerky, or ataxic walk, and in 

 some cases ataxic movements. 



Q. Are the symptoms of this disease solely physical, or are they both 

 physical and psychical ? — A. Purely physical. 



Q. Has Locomotor Ataxia any effect upon the mind ? — A. Not except 

 through the occurence of a rare complication. 



Q. Will you state shortly what complications in this disease give rise to 

 mental impairements ? — A. In a few cases, from one to two in a hundred, in 

 my experience, the symptoms of the disease known as Genei'al Paresis, or 

 Dementia Paralytica, make their appearance after the development of the 

 Ataxia. 



Q. Will you state briefly the physical symptoms of a person affected with 

 Dementia Paralytica ? — A. These are : first, a condition of tremor of the 

 muscles of the face, tongue, and hands, clearly visible to the eye, and sensible 

 to the touch ; second, a vibratory tremulous articulation — words are often 

 clipped or shortened ; third, a tremulous, jerky handwriting ; fourth, un- 

 natural smallness of and inequality of the pupils. 



Q. W^ill you state briefly the psychical symptoms of a person affected with 

 Dementia Paralytica ? — A. They are : first, progressive impairment of memory 

 4 



