Case CXXXVII

About twelve years ago we saw, in the City Asylum, a young lady of seven years of age, whose mother and grandmother were insane, and had hallucinations. This child had a most intelligent expression of countenance, with a high forehead and sparkling eyes. Her conversation, very superior to that of children of her age, astonished all who heard her. There was in her observations, questions, and replies, a sort of intuition of futurity; she seemed to divine things, and was a subject of wonder to every one.

She was singularly restless, and always wishing to move from place to place. If recalled, she became angry, and very destructive. She was occasionally subject to attacks, which came on in the following manner: Her vivacity and restlessness increased; her words were abrupt and jerked out; she then fell into a sort of ecstasy; her eyes became fixed upwards, and a happy smile animated her features; she then spoke with an earnest tone: "Do you see," she would say, "those angels in heaven; they are crowned with flowers; they come towards me; they fetch me."Frequently she would keep silence, as if plunged in a sort of abstraction; she would then point to heaven with her finger, calling to the angels. In two or three hours, the vision would vanish. During the attack, this young girl was as white as wax, her skin cold, and her pulse scarcely sensible; when it passed off, she slept. On awaking, her agitation returned and lasted for several days. Her conversation was somewhat incoherent; she did not seem to understand clearly what was said to her, and gave singular replies. All went on as usual until another attack, which shortly occurred.

With infants, hallucinations may be occasioned by fear, or chastisement; they occur when awake; they also appear during sleep, and continue for some time after awaking.

Case CXXXVIII

A girl of nine or ten years old had passed her birthday with several young companions, in all kinds of childish amusements. Her parents, who were very ignorant people, persisted in telling her stories of the devil, hell, and . eternal damnation. At night, on going to her room, the devil appeared and threatened to devour her. She uttered a violent shriek, flew to her parents, and fell, as if dead, at their feet. Several hours elapsed before she could be recovered. This child afterwards related what had happened, saying that she was certain of being damned. The circumstance was the prelude to a long and serious nervous disorder.*

Case CXXXIX

A young child, between nine and ten years of age - delicate, lymphatic, sanguine, and very impressible - having been severely reprimanded for a childish fault, went to bed with a heavy heart. Towards the middle of the night, his parents were suddenly awakened by sobs. They ran to his bedside, and found him weeping and struggling, and making efforts to rise. On being questioned, his words were at first confused; with staring eyes he replied that he was much tormented; that there were merchants there, who frightened him very much, and he entreated that they might be sent away. "My dear child," said his parents, "do you not see that your father and mother are beside you?" "Yes; but the men are there; make them go away !" "Look about; you are in your bed, in your own room, which is lighted." "Yes, I know that, but still the merchants will not go." "Well, you must get up, and we will have tea together." "Yes, I would rather get up." His tears and terror continued for a short time, and then all was over.

In Hibbert's work there is a very interesting case of hallucination. The French author, from whom he extracted it, thus relates it in the Mercure Galant of 1690: -