Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1884 — Curious Derangement of the Will. [ARTICLE]

Curious Derangement of the Will.

I had once under my observation the case of a gentleman who could not sign his name unless he first rose from his chair and turned round three tunes. As he occupied a position of trust, and one which required him to affix his signature to papers very often in the course of the day, the circumstances caused him great annoyance. The disorder was developed very suddenly, and quite unaccountably. He was, one night, after a day of excitement and fatigue, about to sign a check which he had just drawn up, when he found to his astonishment, i that he could not form the letters of his name. He pushed the check aside, and began to copy some words fronx-a book which lay on the table before him. He did this with his usual facility. But the moment he attempted to write his name to them, he was powerless. Alarmed at what he thought was a symptom of some serious brain disease, he threw down his pen, and rising from his chair, walked up and down the floor, trying to analyze his feelings.■ There was no pain in his head, his thoughts were collected, and there was no excitement except that developed by the curious circumstances just occurred. Determined, if possible, to overcome the difficulty, he again essayed to sign the check, and, to his great relief, accomplished the undertaking without the slightest apparent effort. Emboldened by his success, he tried a second time to write his name, but a second time he found it impossible to do so. Reflecting upon the matter, he recalled the fact that it was only after he had paced the floor he had been able to write his name. So he walked across the room two or three times, and then found that he could make his signature with entire ease. Further experience showed him that it was not the walking that was necessary, but that it was essential he should turn round three tiroes. Without these preliminary gyrations it was impossible for him to write his name, though perfectly able to write page after page of other matter. The condition existed for about a month, and then by my advice he stopped writing altogether and took a voyage to Europe. He remained absent several months, during which period he never put pen or pencil to paper. On the way back a subscription was taken up on the ship for some charitable object, and he was requested to sign the paper. Without reflecting—for if he had, he would not have made the attempt—he took the pen held out to him and wrote his name without the slightest hesitation. After this he had no further trouble. Such cases are. in the present state of our knowledge, absolutely inexplicable. ~ ~ The will is subject to derangement in a manner the very opposite of that which has just been described. It may be so strongly manifested, in one or more directions, as to cause the individual to perpetrate the most terrible crimes, or to perform other acts displeasing to him.— Dr. Wm. A. Hammond, in Youth’s Companion.