570 Moral Epidemics and Contagions. [October , 
For instances we need only point to the “ Anti-ViviseCtion 
movement, to “ Anti-Vaccinationism,” to the opposition to 
the “ Contagious Diseases ACt,” to the examinational mania, 
and the like. ,, , 
Now the causes of the spread of such “ movements . have 
not been hitherto understood. We may therefore, with ad- 
vantage, take into consideration the views which. M. J. 
Rambosson has brought forward in memoirs read during the 
last few years before the Institute of France. He points 
out that the spread of delusions has been hitherto accounted 
for by strange and contradictory hypotheses.. 
It has been ascribed to miasms, to indefinite commotions, 
to imitation, to fascination, to witchcraft, or demoniacal 
obsession. , . , , 
M. Rambosson has shown that this contagion depends on 
a single law, easy to be demonstrated, and at once most 
simple and exceedingly vast in its sphere of action, if we 
may judge by the number of phenomena which it governs. 
The cause of the contagion is due to the transmission ot 
the cerebral movement to which the phenomena in question 
are due in the individual. . 
This transmission takes place from brain to brain, thiougn 
the ambient medium, without being modified by its suc- 
cessive transformations, just, e.g., as the matenes morbi ol 
yellow fever retains essentially the same character, no matter 
through how many successive persons it may have passed. 
It reproduces, or tends to reproduce, in the persons whom it 
reaches the same phenomena as in the persons with whom 
it originated, such as yawning, neuralgia, epileptiform phe- 
nomena, panics, madness, suicide, identical or analogous 
crimes. ... . . , 
When it has reached the brain this movement is not ex- 
tinguished, but it is transmitted to the nerves and muscles, 
and is developed outwardly, reproducing the contagious 
ph^nojne^on. ^ therefore? first cen tripetal and then centri- 
fU We are here reminded of the views of Professor Gustav 
jaeger {see “Journal of Science,” 1880, pp. 282 and 298), 
and we believe, to some extent, of Dr. B. W. Richardson 
(see “Journal of Science,” 1881, p. 623). But both these 
savants refer the contagion of mental affections, 01 of in- 
sanity, to a material something given off, and not, like M. 
Rambosson, to a molecular movement capable of impressing 
itself on neighbouring organisms.. 
The cerebral movement which propagates itsell irom 
