Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 25.djvu/183

Rh of the more organized, the less complex, and the more automatic. This is not a mere truism; or, if it be, it is one that is often neglected. Disease is said to cause the symptoms of insanity. I submit that disease only produces negative mental symptoms answering to the dissolution, and that all elaborate positive mental symptoms (illusions, hallucinations, delusions, and extravagant conduct) are the outcome of activity of nervous elements untouched by any pathological process—that they arise during activity on the lower level of evolution remaining. The principle may be illustrated in another way without undue recapitulation. Starting this time with health, the assertion is that each person's normal thought and conduct are, or signify, survivals of the fittest states of what we may call the topmost layer of his highest centers, the normal highest level of evolution. Now, suppose that from disease the normal highest level of evolution (the topmost layer) is rendered functionless. This is the dissolution, to which answer the negative symptoms of the patient's insanity. I contend that his positive mental symptoms are still the survival of his fittest states—are survivals on the lower, but then highest, level of evolution. The most absurd mentation and most extravagant actions in insane people are the survival of their fittest states. I say "fittest" not "best"; in this connection the evolutionist has nothing to do with good or bad. We need not wonder that an insane man believes in what we call his illusions; they are his perceptions. His illusions, etc., are not caused by disease, but are the outcome of activity of what is left of him (of what disease has spared), of all there then is of him; his illusions, etc., are his mind.

After this brief sketch I mention what may appear to be a drawback. Scarcely ever, if ever, do we meet with a case of dissolution which we can suppose to be the exact opposite of evolution. Often enough, however, do we meet with its near opposites. I will try to dissipate any difficulties that may arise. We make two broad divisions of cases of dissolution—uniform and local.

In uniform dissolution the whole nervous system is under the same conditions or evil influence, the evolution of the whole nervous system is comparatively evenly reversed. In these cases the whole nervous system is "reduced," but the different centers are not equally affected. An injurious agency, say alcohol, taken into the system, flows to all parts of it, but the highest centers, being least organized, "give out" first and most; the middle centers, being more organized, resist longer, and the lowest centers, being most organized, resist longest. Did not the lowest centers for respiration and circulation resist more than the highest do, death by alcohol would be a very common thing. Another way of stating the foregoing is to say that increasing uniform dissolution follows a "compound order." Three stages may be rudely symbolized thus, using the initial letters of highest, middle, and lowest centers. First stage or depth of dissolution, h; second stage, h$2$+m;