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EDWARD D. WORRELL. 51

after the close of the evidence refer you to many authors. At
present I read to you from Ray’s Medical Jurisprudence of
Insanity, section 381:

“To determine exactly the mental condition of an epileptic at the
moment of his committing criminal act is often a difficult task.
It may have taken place in the absence of any observer, in a fit of
fory that rapidly pasced away, and which perhapa may not have
followed any previous paroxysm; or the accused, though subject to
the disease, may not have recently suffered an attack, and may have
appeared perfectly rational to those around him. The suspicion
that the accused was deprived of his moral liberty when committing
the eriminal act would be strengthened if the paroxysm had been
reeently frequent and severe; if one had shortly preceded or sue-
ceeded the act; if he had been habitually subject to mental irrita-
bility, or other symptoms of nervous disorders; and by those cir
eumstanees generally which would lead to the same conclusion were
the supposed disease a form of moral mania instead of epilepsy.
(See page 217.) Cases of this kind should be closely scrutinized,
and where the accused has been undeniably subject 2 epilepsy he
should have the benefit of every reasonable doubt that may arize
respecting his sanity. Less than this eommon humanity could not
ask; more even has sometimes heen granted under the operation of
milder codes than the English common law.”

To show you the more general indicationa of that other
form of insanity to which the anthor refers, and with whick
epilepsy is often complicated, I read section 217, Moral In-
sanity:

“In nearly all the criminal act has heen preceded either
by some well marked disturbance of the health, originating in the
head, digestive system or uterus, or by an irritable, gloomy, dejected
or melancholy state; in short, by many of the symptoms of the in-
eubation of mania. ‘The absence of particulars in some of the cases
recorded leaves in doubt how general this change really is; but a
careful examinetion would no doubt often, if not always, show ita
existence ‘where apparently it has never taken place.

“IY, The impulse to destroy is powerfully exeited by the sight
of murderous weapons, by favorable opportunities of accomplish-
ing the act, by contradiction, disgust, or some other equally trivial
and even imaginary circumstance,

“TMI. The victims of a homicidal monomania are mostly either
entirely unknown or indifferent to him, or they are among his most
loved and cherished objects; and it is remarkable how often they
are children, and especially bis own offspring.

“IV. While the greater number deplore the terrible propensity
by which they are controlled and beg to be subjected to restraint,

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