The Medical jurisprudence of insanity

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S. Whitney & Company, 1871 - 341 pages

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Page 13 - ... must be considered in the same situation as to responsibility as if the facts with respect to which the delusion exists were real.
Page 72 - ... to establish a defence on the ground of insanity, it must be clearly proved that, at the time of the committing of the act, the party accused was labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or, if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong.
Page 6 - Where an act, in itself indifferent, becomes criminal if done with a particular intent, there the intent must be proved and found ; but where the act is in itself unlawful, the proof of justification or excuse lies on the defendant; and in failure thereof, the law implies a criminal intent.
Page 13 - ... the jurors ought to be told in all cases that every man is to be presumed to be sane, and to possess a sufficient degree of reason to be responsible for his crimes, until the contrary be proved to their satisfaction; and that to establish a defence on the ground of insanity, it must be clearly proved that, at the time of...
Page 121 - He was frequently heard at midnight, as if struggling with some one in his chamber, and crying out, "I will keep my money, I will ; nobody shall rob me of my property...
Page 4 - ... when a person, apparently of sound mind and not known to be otherwise, enters into a contract for the purchase of property, which is fair and bona fide, and which is executed and completed, and the property, the subject-matter of the contract, has been paid for and fully enjoyed, and cannot be restored so as to put the parties in statu quo, such contract cannot afterwards be set aside, either by the alleged lunatic or those who represent him.
Page 7 - It was an universal principle, that when a man is charged with doing an act of which the probable consequence may be highly injurious, the intention is an inference of law resulting from the doing of the act, and here it was alleged that he delivered the loaves for the use and supply of the children.
Page 107 - Assume a virtue, if you have it not. That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat, Of habits devil, is angel yet in this, That to the use of actions fair and good He likewise gives a frock or livery, That aptly is put on. Refrain to-night, And that shall lend a kind of easiness To the next abstinence ; the next more easy ; For use almost can change the stamp of nature, And either . . . the devil, or throw him out With wondrous potency.
Page 109 - An only son of a weak and indulgent mother was encouraged in the gratification of every caprice and passion of which an untutored and violent temper was susceptible. The impetuosity of his disposition increased with his years. The money with which he was lavishly supplied removed every obstacle to the indulgence of his wild desires. Every instance of opposition or resistance roused him to acts of fury. He assaulted his...
Page 120 - Municipal law, thus understood, is properly defined to be a 'rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power in a state, commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.

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