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Epilepsy and Crime [Juristische Briefe; III. Fallsucht und Verbrechen], (Allgem. österreich. Gerichts-Zeitung, 1901.) Benedikt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Extract

The author points out, that in relation to crime, it is necessary to consider separately the periodic attacks and the intervallary condition of the epileptic. Of the former he distinguishes three varieties— (1) absences, or petit mal; (2) convulsive attacks; and (3) attacks characterised by phases of altered consciousness—psychic epilepsy. It is regarding the last class of epileptic phenomena—the most important in legal medicine—that Benedikt's remarks are specially interesting. He points out that in these epileptic dream-states the actions performed may be very complex, and may have the appearance of deliberation; that memory may be partially retained for events at any period of the attack; and that the attacks may last for hours, days, or even longer. He considers that such prolonged attacks have affinities with periodic insanity and with dipsomania.

Type
Epitome of Current Literature
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1902 

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