IX.] ANIMAL AUTOMATISM. 229 



apparently insensible to light, is yet, under some 

 circumstances, influenced by visual images, finds a 

 singular parallel in the case of the ex-sergeant. 



Sitting at a table, in one of his abnormal states, 

 he took up a pen, felt for paper and ink, and began 

 to write a letter to his general, in which he recom- 

 mended himself for a medal, on account of his good 

 conduct and courage. It occurred to Dr. Mesnet to 

 ascertain experimentally how far vision was concerned 

 in this act of writing. He therefore interposed a 

 screen between the man's eyes and his hands ; under 

 these circumstances he went on writing for a short 

 time, but the words became illegible, and he finally 

 stopped, without manifesting any discontent. On the 

 withdrawal of the screen he began to write again 

 where he had left off. The substitution of water for 

 ink in the inkstand had a similar result. He stopped, 

 looked at his pen, wiped it on his coat, dipped it in 

 the water, and began again, with the same effect. 



On one occasion, he began to write upon the top- 

 most of ten superimposed sheets of paper. After 

 he had written a line or two, this sheet was suddenly 

 drawn away. There was a slight expression of sur- 

 prise, but he continued his letter on the second sheet 

 exactly as if it had been the first. This operation 

 was repeated five times, so that the fifth sheet con- 

 tained nothing but the writer's signature at the bottom 

 of the page. Nevertheless, when the signature was 

 finished, his eyes turned to the top of the blank sheet, 

 and he went through the form of reading over what 

 he had written, a movement of the lips accompany- 



