Part 17 (1/2)
”The trouble with this poor woion that we have been exploring But we should not undeceive her We will reeneral principles, and that will probably be all that is needed to cure the trouble in her head”
Under the circumstances, it was excellent advice But how much better it would have been for the unfortunate woeon's knife, if it had been recognized fro that her malady was only a ”hysterical simulation” of the syenerally nostic y, blunders like this will be, as they ought to be, nosis and treate is indispensable to the correct handling of such cases as the following, reported by Doctor Janet[43] It is, I am ready to concede, an unusual case, but it is unusual only because it presents a coly or in simpler combination
[43] In ”Nevroses et Idees Fixes,” vol i, pp 1-68
It would be impossible to estimate with any accuracy the nuree like this poor Marcelle, have been obliged to drag out an existence worse than death, either in the care of their friends or immured in an institution, sis of the law of dissociation, have been unable to fathom the true nature of their ills and adopt adequate curative measures
Marcelle, as Doctor Janet calls her, was only nineteen years old when she began to astonish her relatives by developing what they were at first disposed to regard as nothing but an eccentric forive her objects--a book, her crochet work, a plate--which she could easily have got for herself by stretching out her hand and picking them up To all expostulations, she would calmly reply:
”I can't help it I can't use my hands as I once did, and that's all there is to it”
”You can't use your hands! What nonsense! You can use the most of the time”
”Oh, but that's different”
”What's the difference? Tell us”
But Marcelle could not, or would not, tell the with her the fa in every way to overcoave way to fear, when, one night, noticing a gliht in her roo, fully dressed, before the bed
”But what is this!” they exclaio to bed?”
”Because,” she cried, ”I can't undress!”
And, all argu vain, it was necessary for her sister to disrobe her as though she were a tiny child Next day a consultation was held, and it was decided to take her to the Salpetriere
”She doesn't see to have her ads Can it be that she is really suffering from some kind of paralysis?”
”Most assuredly,” was the reply, ”and ill do our best to discover what it is and cure it”
This turned out to be no easy matter Doctor Janet, into whose care she ca that the specific malady which afflicted her was an extre te all nosis, and another to effect a cure
Presently, too, indications of mental disturbance developed Doctor Janet had discovered that by distracting her attention he could induce her to rise, extend her hands, and perform other acts that were impossible to her when she concentrated her attention on theument to try and persuade her that she could always control her limbs if she only ,” she calmly informed him ”I have not left my chair, I have not put out my hand”
”Most assuredly you have You know very well I did not give you that piece of crochet work How, then, does it come into your hands?”
”I did not pick it up”
”Who did, then?”
”So in me”
A little later arose another complication She refused to eat, and it became necessary to ad to herself: