All Bedlam Courses Past (part eleven)

All Bedlam Courses Past

Chapter One

The Peculiar Nature of Logical Science

(part eleven)

“The effects of alcohol, taking an example, introduced into the body of a subject—which might be a frog or a rabbit. But animal experimentation in the matter of a true mental disease is useless. A creature cannot respond to a stimulus as would a human being. I ask you, then, what is to be done to prevent, or circumvent, these tragic afflictions of the brain? Other than to teach ourselves what is their genesis? One designs conditions one hopes will induce a reliable set of symptoms. Achieve this, and we have solved the greater of our mysteries. For of treatments, we have myriad…and little good most of them do.”

“And so,” Ebrach said, “Dolphinus Braggert was one suffering from dementia praecox?”

“Well, he had been an orphan, adopted by the Braggerts for a laborer. There was a natural daughter. Dolph…I will call him as we did…became unmanageable to this young woman, who was not married, and had inherited the farm on her father’s death, the mother being dead many years. The two from childhood had lived under a stern discipline, as Miss Braggert attested. The old man left no stipulation for Dolph in his will. The daughter was forced to keep house with him, as nominally he was her brother.”

“They had a servant at least, or a hand, close by?”

“A girl, another from the workhouse, who did chores for Miss Braggert. Far from being any help, she would throw fits, fall into a shrieking sort of hysteria, if Dolph came at her with his fist up…”

Kempf was not interested in these details. His voice, and the passes of his flat palm, made Ebrach think he’d not spied his own imagery.

“Not,” Ebrach said, “dementia praecox?”

“Impossible to say. Certainly, a degeneration. But the intellect had always been slight.”

“And what contribution was Braggert’s, to the research?”

“Well, it was the adoption. Dolph was given to a boasting habit…” Kempf paused, frowning as Élucide had under a similar levity nosing in. “Or, I think, a cherishing habit may be the better phrase. The absurdity that his father had been an important man. Mr. Seward at one time. That scientist friend of Darwin’s…I can’t think…”

“Because the fellow’s work was in the newspapers? Mr. Braggert had some schooling?”

“Oh, indeed. The orphanage taught him to write a proper letter, and write he did, letters by the dozens. To the President, the British Queen… But the key is that the fancy calmed him, if one would engage, make a show of sober regard. Dolph had gathered for himself a store of facts…odd facts…or facts at odds with the truth.” Kempf smiled. “The question made itself felt, as certain types of mental activity, listening activities, very often…music, or being read aloud to, can impose silence and order on a group suffering disparate maladies. Dementia praecox, delirium tremens, imbecility. And you know, we had tried sedation with narcotics, we had employed restraints…”

Ebrach saw that a delicate broaching was needed. “The question had been, could the patient be taught to restrain himself?”

“But you see the very great usefulness in this line of inquiry?”

12

Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part twelve)

(2023, Stephanie Foster)