The existence of pellagra in Egypt has been pointed out within recent years by Dr. F. M. Sand with, and for a description of the disease as it occurs in hospital practice reference may be made to his articles.

About the time that this very interesting specimen came under notice, the members of the Medico-Psychological Association were being treated to an able exposition of the present-day views on the burning question of the localisation of mental functions. The intention of this short contribution is very humble, my main object being to explain the specimen, and while doing so to offer a few general observations on any bearing it may be thought to possess regarding the localisation of intellect.

In the communication which I have the honour to submit to the members of the South-Western Division to-day, I intend to bring forward some facts and some figures, not hitherto recorded, relating to the female patients now and formerly resident at this asylum.

The minute study of morbid organisation as a factor in the genesis of crime which has been extensively pursued in recent years has been for the most part concerned with conditions of arrested or distorted cerebral development, with the different forms and degrees of innate defect. Less attention has, on the whole, been given to the other large class of neuropathic criminals, those in whom the morbid aptitude for criminal acts is connected with deterioration of brain, where the mental defect is acquired.

Although hallucinations are so common and universally recognised as an indication of insanity (Esquirol reckons, probably truly if we count every stage of every case, that they occur in 80 per cent. of cases of mental alienation, and we all know that even with the general public there is no proof of aberration more convincing), yet there are many points connected with the study of hallucination which are worthy of more attention than they generally receive.

In supplement to my paper on one-sided hallucinations in the Journal of Mental Science for April, 1901, the following case of a similar kind, but presenting special features, is, I think, of sufficient interest to be recorded. The patient is an inmate of the Glasgow Old Men and Women's Home, and is a man of some literary ability, as is shown by his still continuing to contribute articles from time to time to journals published in London. The Home, it need scarcely be said, is for people of sound mind, though many manifest indications of the ordinary mental decay incident to old age. The patient referred to is, however, acute and intelligent, and free from all suspicion of mental weakness or disorder. The account of his experiences, which he submits, may therefore be regarded as very reliable. It seems preferable to give it in his own language, only pruning it a little from unnecessary detail. The form in which it appears is due to his great deafness, on account of which the desired information could only be obtained from him as replies to written questions.

T. W—, shorthand writer, admitted January 16th, 1899, suffering from mania.

Case I.—L. M. W—, æt. 37, admitted June, 1901, died eighteen days after admission.

No. 2345, æt 27, transferred from Saughton Hall to Murray's Asylum, Perth, on June 4th, 1897. An unmarried male.