39 



brain as sounds are by the mouth, or as music is by the 

 organ." These quotations are sufficient to show the 

 standing ground of the objectivist school of thought. 

 Let us see how they will apply to the observations of 

 every day and asylum life. If these definitions of mind 

 be correct, then it must follow as a corollary that a dis- 

 eased brain and spinal cord must always produce ab- 

 normal functions, or morbid secretions. To state the 

 contrary would be to give up the whole controversy, 

 for as long as the disease continues it must produce its 

 effects — if not uniformly — at least continuously. 



Let us apply this doctrine to asylum experience. I 

 go into the wards of an hospital and find cases of tran- 

 sitory mania. It may come on as suddenly as a blow, 

 and in a short time may leave as abruptly, only to re- 

 turn in the same way at irregular intervals. Does our 

 experience of disease enable us to consistently say that 

 a permanent lesion could produce such erratic results? 

 Let those who think so give a rational explanation from 

 experience in other diseased parts of the body. The 

 "lucid intervals" of insanity may not mean complete 

 recovery, but the convalescence at stated periods is suf- 

 ficient to make it an enigma, if a uniform pathological 

 condition can produce results so diverse in intermit- 

 tency to similar states in other parts of the body. It 

 means that at times the brain can perform its work as 

 thoroughly as ever in s})ite of disease. Can its mental 

 functions then depend on its condition? The paretic 

 will recover his intellect for months. The most acute 

 observer can discover no mt^ntal obliquity in the inter- 

 val of relief. We know too well the victim is doomed 

 and that the disease has not relaxed its grip. Sooner 

 or later it will become evidtiit with increased intens- 

 ity.. Must we believe that the organ, diseased as 

 it is, can do its work healthily at one time and at 



