Wycherley that, if he ventured to differ from him,
he was none the less obliged by the kind interest he took in a
comparative stranger: and would be very glad to hear all about the
"Incubation of Insanity."
Dr. Wycherley bowed slightly and complied:
"One diagnostic preliminary sign of abnormal cerebral action is
Kephalalgia, or true cerebral headache; I mean persistent headache not
accompanied by a furred tongue, or other indicia significant of abdominal
or renal disorder as its origin."
Jane sighed. "He has sad headaches."
"The succeeding symptom is a morbid affection of sleep. Either the
patient suffers from Insomnia, or else from Hypersomnia, which we
subdivide into sopor, carus, and lethargus; or thirdly from Kakosomnia,
or a propensity to mere dozing, and to all the morbid phenomena of
dreams."
"Papa," said Jane, "poor Alfred sleeps very badly: I hear him walking at
all hours of the night."
"I thought as much," said Dr. Wycherley; "Insomnia is the commonest
feature. To resume; the insidious advance of morbid thought is next
marked by high spirits, or else by low spirits; generally the latter.
Pages:
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563