EFFECT OF DEVOTIONAL SINGING IN A CASE OF MANIA.
mto TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE srscraron.
$9. Great Russell Street,Sth Aprll 1834, SIR-I was very much pleased to read the remarks upon and the extracts frora the work The New Statistical Account .Scotland, in your last Spec- tator. The concluding extract, entitled "A Touching Fact," is truly so; and I have taken this opportunity to forwat d the following circunistatace, which oc- curred in my own practice, strikingly testifying to the advantages of the plan recommended. I was called, about four years since, to visit a lady who was re- pnaented tube in a most peculiar state of mind. She was married, anti thc at- tentive and affectionate mother of a large family. One morning, on rising, her husband observed that she looked rather strangely ; and, on speaking to her, fotrnd she did not answer, although capable of walking about. On approaching herto entreat her to state the reason, she would not allow her husband to touch hen; she would not allow him to kiss her, or in any way to approach her. After a great deal of persuasion, he induced her to write what she felt; and she wrote, that she had burn risited by angels, and that the Holy Ghost was upon her, and Mel she could not speak. It was from this conviction of the Holy Ghost being upon her that she would not allow her husband to touch her. She neglected every domestic duty, to which she had ptevious!y been particularly attentive, being an excelh•nt and very domesticated woman. This continued for weeks; and I was co Isulted as to the remedy, and as to the propriety of confinement, and keeping her from the place of worship she attended. I recommended that she should b.., allowed to go, but not to he allowed to remain with any fanatical women, who, it seems, had been exciting her ;Mud for some time previous to the attack. She went ;" and one Sunday, when the hymn at one period of the service was sang, she unconsciously joined, and from that day forth spoke. To adopt the lan,4nage of the quotation referred to, the " praise seemed Iv renew in some of them a tie long snapped," and thus to Wing back the mind to the do- mestic realities of life.
Believe me, Sir, yours in well-wishing, JOHN EFTS, M.D.
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