If,  tor  instance,  in  those  conditions  of  mental  disease  char-
acterized by  a  weakening  of  the  will  i>ower,  oue  especial  route
iSf  for  one  reason  or  another,  established  on  account  of  some
delusion  or  mere  fortuitous  circumstance,  the  probability  is
that  this  particular  route  will  continue  to  be  tlie  one  most
fr«*qnently  traversed  by  nervous  force  in  its  passage  from  the
brain  Co  tlie  periphery.  A  delusion,  an  hallucination  of  sight
or  beiuing,  some  peculiar  condition  in  the  patient's  enviroa-


4M


BAKOBOFT :


ment:  may  have  first  initiated  certain  acHone  which,  by  being^
tmreeisted  and  hence  repeated,  lead  to  the  establishment  of*
habit.     Probably  in  Home  auvh  simple  and  purfly  fortnitova
way  are  developed  the  palling  out  of  the  bair,  tearing  the
clothing,  walking  in  a  beaten  path,  making  singular  motioiu
or  uttering  meaningleHS  rounds;  in  fa<>t,  any  of  the  strange
habits  of  the  insane.     It  matters  little  whether  the  perform-
ance of  thette  habita  is  painful  or  dUagreeable ;  no  other  attar-
Dative  seems  open  to  tlie  patient  when,  throngh  weakness  of^
will  and  intelligence,  the  morbid  route  has  once  been  estab-i
lisfaed.    Some  morbid  senAation  in  the  scalp  or  chin  to  act  atf  |
an  excitor,  or  merely  the  absence  of  anything  of  an  inteUigeot
character  in  the  mind  to  engage  the  attention,  may  lead  to  the
pincking  out  of  the  hair  or  beard,  which  impnise,  meeting,
with  no  resistance,  ftoon  developes  into  a  persistent  habit.   A
delusion  alwut  the  l>ed  may  lead  the  patient  into  the  habit  of
BtandJQf;:  up  all  night,  and,  if  not  interrupted,  nothing  short  of
restraint  will  pi-event  cxhaastion,  so  pci-sistent  will  the  impulse
become  to  remain  on  the  feet.
