56 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



difficult to decide whether it amounted to insanity. In these 

 doubtful cases the experience and scientific skill of the 

 physician would render him better qualified to give an opinion 

 than the lawyer. 



Dr. Oldright, referring to the instances of abnormal con- 

 ditions of uncertainty mentioned by Dr. Cassidy, said that 

 such questions had occurred to himself, though he did not let 

 them go to the stage of worrying himself as many had done. 

 He knew cases where persons had injured themselves in 

 morbid conditions of uncertainty. He agreed with the last 

 speaker that a medical man was better qualified to judge of 

 cases of insanity than a lawyer. He sees more cases, and 

 sees them at an earlier stage. The lawyer seldom sees the 

 early stages of the symptoms. 



Dr. Ellis, in referring to Locomotor Ataxia^ said that in many 

 cases the mind was not diseased. 



Dr. O'Sullivan said that in working up a case, he made 

 enquiries in New York of eminent authorities whether Loco- 

 motor Ataxia necessarily resulted in insanity. The answers 

 were not very decided either way. The opinion seemed to 

 be that in the milder stages it did not. 



Mr. H. R. Wood, B.A., read a paper, entitled " Contribu- 

 tions to Blowpipe Analysis." 



