36 



'^th December, i< 



Professor J. D. Everett, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



ABNORMAL IDEAS AND NERVOUS SUPER- 

 EXCITABILITY. 



By John M. MacCormac, M.D., L.R.C.P. & S., Ed. 



(Adsiracf.) 



That the phenomena of innervation are intimately associated 

 with and dependent upon ideas, which arise in the mind, must 

 be evident to every thoughtful observer, and the object of this 

 paper is to determine to what extent some types of nervous 

 disorders are due to morbid or vicious sentiments. Though 

 the investigation of it must of necessity be of a technical nature, 

 the conclusions cannot fail to possess an absorbing interest to 

 the intelligent student. 



The points which may be usefully examined are : — 

 (i) The troubles of the nervous system which are associated 

 with the absence of any real purpose in life. 



(2) Those which are associated with materialistic teaching. 



(3) Those which are associated with mystical teaching. 



(4) Those which are associated with civilization in its vaguest 



form. 

 I. We cannot fail to see that the destiny of man is to act 

 with energy, will, and intelligence. The external world and his 

 own mental powers urge him to action, but the determining 

 power is his will. The best classification of mankind is that 

 based upon the possession or non-possession of an intelligent 

 purpose. The character of the purpose reveals the character 



