Field's Lawyers' Briefs, § 276; Quain's Dic. Med. (Am. ed.), sub. Alcoholism.

The disease is easily recognized by the peculiar form which the mental unsoundness assumes, and by the equally characteristic bodily symptoms, and by the previous history; and in most cases, by the prompt recovery following the judicious use of remedies. But a state closely allied to delirium tremens may be brought on by prolonged abstinence, too close attention to study or business, and sexual excesses or malpractices, and these may co-operate to produce the disease.

§ 40. Symptoms and general characteristics of delirium tremens.

From the authorities above cited, and others relating to the subject, we find the following are among the common symptoms and general characteristics of the disease: A weak and compressible pulse, cold and clammy extremities, sleeplessness, agitation, hallucination and suspicion; but malignity of feeling is seldom manifested. The patient is restless, sleepless, suspicious and cunning; has highly characteristic illusions of hideous and loathsome objects, such as toads, serpents, scorpions, and hears strange

sounds and familiar or strange voices where no one is present; is constantly trying to escape from some imaginary danger, or the presence of those whom he supposes would injure him; and in extreme cases the patient exhibits all the symptoms of acute mania. The following is a more particular statement of these symptoms and characteristics: "Its approach is generally indicated by a slight tremor and faltering of the hands and lower extremities, a tremulousness of the voice, a certain restlessness and sense of anxiety which the patient knows not how to describe or account for; disturbed sleep and impaired appetite. These symptoms having continued two or three days, at the end of which time they have usually increased in severity, the patient ceases to sleep altogether, and soon becomes delirious at intervals. After a while the delirium becomes constant, as well as the utter absence of sleep. This state of wakefulness and delirium continues three or four days, when, if the patient recover, it is succeeded by sleep, which at first appears in uneasy and irregular naps, and lastly in long, sound and refreshing slumbers. When sleep does not supervene about

this time, the disease proves fatal. The mental aberration of delirium tremens is marked by some peculiar characters. Almost invariably the patient manifests feelings of fear and suspicion, and labors under continual apprehensions of being made the victim of sinister designs and practices. He imagines that people have conspired to rob or murder him, and sometimes insists that he can hear them in an adjoining room arranging their plans and preparing to rush upon him, or that he is forcibly detained and prevented from going to his own home. One of the most common hallucinations of this disease is that of constantly seeing devils, snakes or vermin around him. Under the terrors inspired by these notions, the wretched patient often endeavers to cut his throat, or jump out of the window, or murder his wife, or some one else whom his disordered imagination identifies with his enemies:" Condensed statement of symptoms in Bouv. L. D., sub. Delirium Tremens; Quain's Dic. Med. (Am. ed.), sub. Alcoholism.

But the hallucinations and delusions of the victim of delirium tremens, as well as of other maniacs, are not always of a disagreeable char

acter. The patient frequently enjoys for hours a succession of hallucinations of the most interesting and pleasing character; and fine panoramic views, visions of the beautiful in nature and art, and pantomimic performances of persons with which he may not be acquainted, apparently intended to convey some useful instruction, or encourage some important resolution of the subject to reform, and which is not unfrequently appreciated and enjoyed by him, are not uncommon Guy & Fer. on For. Med. (5th ed.) 211 et seq.

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A recovered religious maniac, author of an interesting autobiography, referring to his illusions, says: My senses were all mocked at and deceived. In reading, my eyes saw words on a paper, which, when I looked again, were not. The forms of those around me, and their features, changed as I looked on them. I heard the voices of invisible agents, and notes so divine, so pure, so holy, that they alone, perhaps, might recompense me for many sufferings:" Id. And it appears that the conversion of familiar sounds, such as the lowing of cattle, the falling of water, the grating of a chain, the noise of footsteps,

into articulate speech, was not the least remarkable of this most interesting case. And these are common illusions of the subject of delirium tremens: Sec Id. 175; 6 Field's L. B., § 432.

The hallucinations of these subjects are wonderfully variant and unaccountable. Those who are familiar with the play "M'liss" will probably recall the dialogue between Bummer Smith and his daughter, M'liss, which illustrates one phase of these delusions and hallucinations in respect to the reality of impressions upon the senses of sight and hearing as objective realities, and especially the uncertainty which the victim feels in respect to such impressions. It is as follows:

S. M'liss, if I war to ask you a question, you wouldn't deceive your poor old dad, would you? M. Wouldn't deceive,-you know.

S. In course I do, M'liss, in course I do; now, if I war to ask you, if you seed that ar rabbit that rund along by that ar tree,-- did yer see it, M'liss, eh?

M. It war a rabbit.

S. I thought it mought have been a squirrel, but it war a rabbit, weren't it, M'liss?

M. I seed it, dad.