236 ANIMAL AUTOMATISM. 



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 recommended 

 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 waiting for a short time, but the words be- 

 came illegible, and he finally stopped, without manifest- 

 ing any discontent. On the withdrawal of the screen 

 he began to write again where he had left off. The sub- 

 stitution 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 surprise, 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 contained nothing but the 

 writer's signature at the bottom of the page. Never- 

 theless, 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 



