The Neurasthenia Complaint

[How Brown]

Over the course of the last few years, I've been at fault for not providing all of the elements of the Donston Hoax on the boards that I have encountered during that time. Over the last three days I was able to remember this one...and its important,I believe.

Everyone by now is aware of the original assessments made by the late Melvin Harris and his protege,Edwards, about D'onston's complaint of neurasthenia, which,as an aside, was hardly taken lightly by mid 19th century/LVP physicians. One article which I found and is under the "News From Philadelphia" will provide the Forums member with a professional opinion of this malady or complaint from contemporary sources.

As always,I strive to use the words & works of Harris & Co. to demonstrate the intentional attempt to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...that being of fluffing up Stephenson and his non-existent candidacy as a suspect after December 26th,1888.

I ask the reader to peruse the following statements direct from "The True Face of Jack The Ripper". I apologize for not bringing this up a long time ago...as I had for some reason thought I already had, but misplaced it.

From page 110:

"It is July 1888. D'onston is living there in Brighton, just minutes from the sea front, when he suddenly puts on an act that he is suffering from neurasthenia..."

Further along...

" His complaint was certainly faked.."

First of all....It is impossible that anyone "puts on an act" of a complaint such as neurasthenia. This sort of complaint must be diagnosed by a physician. Its not like a gunshot wound,where no one needs a degree from Heidelberg to determine whats "wrong". This neurasthenia came in various forms, such as a lung problem...which could be either bronchitis, asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, etc.

Secondly...Stephenson therefore could not "fake" what the attending physician was responsible for diagnosing in the first place. Stephenson, and this is also part of this scam that he was a suspect, could not diagnose himself and have what he determined his ailment be found on the list as to what ailment or condition he had.

It is my firm belief that since neurasthenia was not a debilitating ailment in terms of preventing a person from perambulation and the obvious fact that Mr.Harris had no idea how serious neurasthenia really was considered during the time, that it became easy to dismiss what the LH physicians, not Stephenson, diagnosed as his July 26th complaint....a complaint that only the physicians could diagnose.

As always, if anyone wishes to discuss this further ,please feel free to chat it up. That includes civilians and other Ripperologists who are not members of JTRForums.

I'm still trying to recall other areas...and trust me,I will.

[Mike Covell]

Originally Posted by How Brown

From page 110:

"It is July 1888. D'onston is living there in Brighton, just minutes from the sea front, when he suddenly puts on an act that he is suffering from neurasthenia..."

Further along...

" His complaint was certainly faked.."

100+ years later and this guy can read Stephenson's mind!! Must let the Most Haunted Team know about his talents!!

[How Brown]

Mike:

I hear you,buddy.

Along with a few other people who bought into this "faked neurasthenia", it appears that the complaint was serious enough for physicians to recommend long hospital stays. There's another article I think I put up regarding neurasthenics where some woman had the complaint for three years or so as well as others who were affected with it.

However, my point to all of this is not the argument that people could fake neurasthenia ( why they would do that is beyond me at this point after finding out exactly what this affliction was )...but that Harris, in an uncanny move for a professional investigator,no less, somehow determined out of the blue with no prior data regarding Stephenson's medical history,save the gunshot in 1868... that Stephenson went into "an act" where he,Stephenson, would fake a complaint that only a physician can diagnose!!! No one can go to the doctor or hospital without some prior history of a complaint or specific condition and expect to not be scrutinized. Mr. Harris knew that. What he,along with everyone else here, didn't know and probably will never know, is whether Stephenson had a prior history of neurasthenia. Had he known that, then and only then, could the assumption that Stephenson could have or would have conjured up a "diabolical plan" to bamboozle the doctors at the LH be remotely viable.

Nina mentioned something this morning on the way to work about the possibility of Stephenson going to a Brighton doctor and getting some sort of confirmation of the neurasthenic condition before he went to the London Hospital in late July of 1888.

As good as an idea as that is...the "problem" with that idea is that had Stephenson gone to a physician in Brighton prior to going to the LH, it means that Stephenson would have been diagnosed as a neurasthenic in Brighton by a doctor, not on his own determination of what he had. In short, it still means a doctor, not Stephenson, came up with the diagnosis of neurasthenia.

Mr. Harris invented this scenario that Stephenson was capable of waltzing into the LH and telling them what he had and the doctors,without examining Stephenson,accepting Stephenson's word for it.

You know what its like yourself, Mike. Go to the doctor with pains in the arm. You know how you hurt your arm. The doctor will examine your arm, regardless of what you tell him, to develop his own determination of the problem and prescribe medicine ( pills or as in the case of Stephenson,bed rest ) based on his examination, NOT what you tell him.

Why? Because people very often conceal things from doctors. Some will go to their physician and describe their particular condition, but not their lifestyle which may be conducive to the complaint.

Drug abusers will complain of aches and pains and go to their physician expecting painkillers for their pains. Often doctors will refrain from dispensing narcotics and offer anti-inflammatory drugs to combat the real or imagined pain. My step-daughter is a physician and this sort of behavior is common with patients...especially those who have issues with substance abuse and Stephenson clearly did.

In essence, the theory of the faked neurasthenia was developed out of thin air as well as a convienent way of covering up for the original gaffe in when Stephenson entered the LH as proposed by Mr. Harris in "The Ripper File".....In essence,regardless of how severe Stephenson's hospital diagnosed condition really was, Stephenson was NOT responsible for the determination of what he had the instant he was sized up by the hospital staff. .

We now see that there was no basis for the theory of faked neurasthenia, other than the declaration that Stephenson faked it by someone who merely "says" he did just that with no justification behind the statement. A neat trick that went over people's heads for 14 years or so.

Those of us involved with the bizarre saga of Stephenson can easily access, as could Mr. Harris ( no Internet access required or post-1994 "revelations" necessary to investigate neurasthenia), the mounds of cases and evidence that doctors took this complaint seriously enough to prescribe long periods of bed rest for those afflicted with this complaint..

Which in the long run they did when they put Stephenson in a bed for 19 and 1/2 weeks in 1888..........

[How Brown]

To demonstrate further what neurasthenia was back in the days of the LVP, I'll be adding newspaper reports on this thread from the United States. Some recommended cocaine, but in minute doses, to treat this complaint.

[How Brown]

San Francisco Builletin
April 2, 1881
Page 1
NEW PUBLICATIONS
THE AMERICAN DISEASE
Disease of the nervous system is one of the most important as well as one of the most interesting subjects which the physician of to-day is called upon to study. That which the study of electricity is to physics, the investigation of the phenomena of that equally mysterious agent: nerve force, is to the science of medicine and there is reason to believe that medical scientists will make, in this field of observation, discoveries that will minister as much to the physical and mental well being of man as those of modern electricians have contributed to his convienience and pleasure. The nervous systme of man is still a "terra incognito" in spite of the many efforts to discover its mysteries. Explorers in this dark region of science have as yet hardly passed its external boundaries. Nut a book entitled, A Treatise on Nervous Exhaustion recently published by Dr. George M. Beard of New York, has thrown a great deal of light upon one portion of this unknown land. Yet, if the ideas of Dr. Beard are not wholly recieved by the medical profession, it is to be hoped that his wholesome dennounciation of the relaince of the physicians of America upon those of Europe for new truths in medical science will bear good fruit. In an article in the North American Review, a few months ago, Dr. Beard refers to this fact in strong language and remarks that while the Anglo Saxon race has no superior in point of physical courage, it is a coward when brought face to face with an idea. Germany and France boldly invade unknown realms of thought and bring hence captive new ideas in science and philosophy, which the timid Anglo-Saxon,after long delay, adopts.
It is remarked by all observing medical men that the number of nervous diseases is increasing. It is alleged that during the past fifty years more new diseases of a nervous disorder have been developed than during the preceding five centuries. This rapid increase in this class of disease is claimed to be and is, doubtless, due to the civilization of the present century. The civilization of America is typical of that of the nineteenth century and it is in America that new nervous diseases are to the greatest extent developed. Although they are to be found in Europe they are comparitively rare, but are there found in greatest numbers in those countries which are more in accord with the spirit of the age. In this country,likewise, nervous disease is in a great measure confined to those sections noted for enterprise and progress. And among individuals those in the higher ranks of life and who are doubtless most thorougly imbued with the spirit of the age. furnish the greatest number of victims to this most important disease of modern times. In Dr. Beard's book which treats only of nervous exhaustion, no effort is made to show the causes of the increase in nervous disease during the present century. That subject will be made an important and interesting feature of a work now in preparation. In the book now under discussion, Dr. Beard has confined himself to the examination of the disease whose symptoms have given rise to the vague terms "general debility", "nervous prostration", etc. These symptoms are multitudinous, the larger part are vague and fleeting, and until the investigation of Dr. Beard, no physician has known clearly what they indicated. In many instances the symptoms have been considered the disease and have been treated accordingly and with the result to be expected. It is therefore a matter of no little moment to the people of the present age who undoubtedly suffer more from nervous disease than from any other to have its vast army of symptoms marebated(?) in orderly array, the central influence which sets them in motion clearly pointed out and the best mthod of attacking it shown.
The disease which Dr. Beard describes he has named "neurasthenia", a term descriptive of its principle characteristic and meaning a lack of nerve force. Neurasthenia results from defective nutrition of the nerve centers and being therefore,simply functional, is susceptible of radical cure. Among the many symptoms of neurasthenia are sick headache, heaviness in the head,various affections of the eyes, mental irritability, hopelessness,morbid fears of various kinds, insomnia,drowsiness,dyspepsia,deficient thirst,desire for stimulants or narcotics,irregularity in the action of the heart,special idiosyncrasies,etc. In fact the symptoms appear in all parts and in all organs of the body and are widely different in character. Among its *****are melancholia,inebriety,opiomania,hysteria,hay fever,somnambulism,and certain kinds of professional cramp. The treatment of neurasthenia as laid down by Dr. Beard, is plain,direct, and comprehensive. In the matter of diet he insists on increasing the amount of fat in the food. " One of the great wants of the day," he says, " is an increase of fat in the food and fat insuch a form that it can be easily assimilated without injuring seriously the digestive apparatus. Our fathers could eat pork and digest it and thus they obtained in their daily meals all the fat the system needed-sometimes,perhaps- in excess; but we cannot digest pork as they could and consequently, we are suffering in all directions from want of fat." It is gratifying to see that mental therapeutics is beginning to obtain that share of consideration which its importance demands. Hitherto, it is to be feared, this method of treatment has been employed too exclusively by the more cunning of that class of practitioners known as "quacks". But scientific medical men have proved beyond dispute the great influence of mind over disease and have made use of their knowledge to good purpose. Dr. Beard states that "by turning the mind of the patient on his body through any process whatever, as by stating the precise hour when recovery will take place. It is possible to cure permanently as well as very rapidly and in some cases instantaneously, cases of long standing functional nervous disease. Even organic structural disease may,in the same way, be relieved temporarily more speedily and satisfactorily than any of our objective medication". Charcot of Paris has recently neem experimenting with metals brough in contact with the body and although data sufficient to establish satisfactorily the efficacy of this method of treatment have not yet been obtained. Dr. Beard points to the fact that great results have been obtaine in physics from similar influences vs. an argument in favor of metal therapeutics. It is a question, he says, worthy investigation. Another method of treatment which has proved very efficacious in the hands of modern physicians is "massage" or "lomi-lomi" as it is called by the natives of the Hawaiian Islands. This treatment consists of pinching the skin or muscles or by tapping or beating. This method of treatment was brought to the notice of the medical profession about seven years ago by Dr. Meiger of Amsterdam. With regard to the administration of medicines, Dr. Beard says that "the difference in effect between a large and even an average dose and a very small dose is great and radical and that in different doses the same remedy may be used in different diseases; thus the domain of therapeutics has been greatly widened."

The book is a very able, a very interesting and a very comprehensive treatise on a very important branch of medical science and should be carefully examined by the medical profession.

Published by William Wood & Co., New York. For sale by Bancroft & Co.

[How Brown]

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O87...lsyndrome.html

George Beard is the doctor who first named neurasthenia back in the 1860's.

[How Brown]

Referring back to the original posts on this thread and the statements made by Mr. Harris regarding Stephenson "faking" neurasthenia and Harris's argument that neurasthenia was 'easy to fake", which has also been stated on message boards by those who aren't in the know or simply haven't taken the time to examine what neurasthenia "is" or "was" :

Let us use this analogy to demonstrate the issue at hand.....

1.Big Jon Rees of JTRForums has been having a lot of problems focusing lately and has decided to go to Dr. Joseph Chetcuti for advice/remedy. His eyes have been acting up.

2.Debbie Dobbins is complaining of having problems with sleep. She has trouble getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep and has also decided to seek out Dr. Joe.

3.Tim Mosley has trouble staying awake during the day. He decides to go see Dr. Joe.

How Brown has a desire for stimulants and narcotics. He's normal.

4.Chris George has been complaining of dyspepsia. So its off to Dr. Joe

All 4 are examined by Dr. Joe and it is entirely possible that Dr. Chetcuti would ascertain their complaints as being of a neurasthenic nature. All these symptoms are mentioned in a prior post by the doctor who originated the term "neurasthenia".

Despite each individual having a different symptom of some different malady or illness, each could be ascertained as having neurasthenia.

This is the salient point to the neurasthenic argument. That Stephenson could not, repeat, could not go to a doctor and complain of neurasthenia, since it is not in itself a definable disease, but rather a complaint with a multitude of different symptoms. Only a doctor can diagnose this complaint....not a patient.

Therefore, when we read from Harris that Stephenson conjured up the "plan" to "fake" neurasthenia, he was dead wrong.

Harris either never read any literature on this diagnosed condition, as some of us likewise, didn't...or he did and somehow "overlooked" the facts. Some took his word that neurasthenia was a specific ailment, which could be "faked"...something like a "tummy ache'. Neurasthenia is a general description of nervous system disorder, which has, again, many symptoms.

If Harris HAD read any of the literature on this complaint, then something is really out of order here for him to state that Stephenson's complaint was "certainly faked". He would have seen immediately that if anyone's diagnosis of what Stephenson had was wrong, then it was the London Hospital physician who was wrong. That is something that no one can rightfully state since there is no way we know what Stephenson had that was determined to be neurasthenia ( trouble with his eyes,sleep disorder,dyspepsia,insomnia, like the four people in the analogy had). To claim it was faked or conjured up is a baseless argument.

What is alarming and should be discussed further by Stephensonian researchers is what Stephenson did have that was classified as neurasthenia, since no one may ever know what Stephenson had and caused him to enter the London Hospital on July 26th, 1888.....unlike the May 1889 return for chloral hydrate abuse, which is a specific complaint or illness.

[Chris G.]

Hello Howard

Harris claimed that D'Onston was suffering from neurosthenia not neurasthenia. This may be splitting hairs about the symptoms of two diseases that are similar psychological complaints and not really valid medical conditions that would be recognized today--though "neurasthenia" as you point out was first recognized as a type of nervous exhaustion by Dr. George Beard in the 1860's. I had communication from him after I published my article on D'Onston in Ripperologist No. 24, August 1999, "Letter from the Sickbed: D'Onston Writes to the Police" in which I wrote that he had neurasthenia. Harris wanted us to run an erratum but ultimately we did not and I felt the distinction between the conditions was non-existent. The main point is that Harris was claiming D'Onston was faking a disease, whatever it was.

In any case, nonetheless, we should be clear on what Harris did actually write.

Howard above you say:

I ask the reader to peruse the following statements direct from "The True Face of Jack The Ripper". I apologize for not bringing this up a long time ago...as I had for some reason thought I already had, but misplaced it.

From page 110:

"It is July 1888. D'onston is living there in Brighton, just minutes from the sea front, when he suddenly puts on an act that he is suffering from neurasthenia..."

Further along...

" His complaint was certainly faked.."

-- But read the page again.

What Harris wrote on p. 110 of The True Face of Jack the Ripper is (my emphasis),

"It is July 1888. D'Onston is living there in Brighton, just minutes from the sea-front, when he suddenly puts on an act that he is suffering from neurosthenia. Now this describes a state of excitability and should not be confused with neurasthenia, its exact opposite. The treatment for neurosthenia was simple: a light diet, plenty of rest, no stimulants, and fresh air. . . . His complaint was certainly faked. The symptoms: excitability, tension, sleeplessness, are easy to assume or induce. And this man, with his medical training, knew a great deal about inducing bodily reactions."

Chris

[How Brown]

Chris:

No,Harris did not claim that Donston faked a disease. He claimed Donston faked a condition. Again, you cannot fake neurasthenia since only a doctor can determine whether the complaint you bring to him could be considered neurasthenic. Neurasthenia is a condition with a multitude of different symptoms. How the hell could Harris know which one RDS had? Thats right, he couldn't.

Besides,Harris botched the whole thing up in the first place as he did not pay attention to the discharge sheet.

Royal London Hospital Archives document reference LH/M/1/16 London Hospital register of in patients, 1888
Page heading: Physicians male patients
Date of admission: 26th July 1888
General number: 1146
Without ticket number: 735
Name: Roslyn Stephenson
Residence: Cricketers Inn, Black Lion Street, Brighton
Age: 47
Civil state: Married
Occupation: Journalist
Ward: Currie [deleted], Davis [substituted]
Case: Neurasthenia
Physician: Sutton
Date of discharge: 7th December 1888
Condition on discharge: Relieved
Number of days in hospital: 134


Once more, someone proves my point about this whole scam and charade... and its you Chris.

Harris HAD to have seen the discharge sheet in order to invent the baseless argument about neurasthenia being faked,since he mentions the condition incorrectly on page 110 as you have pointed out and posits that it was neurosthenia..

If he had NOT seen the discharge sheet,he would not have known what the doctors ( not Stephenson ) diagnosed him with in the first place.

Here again we have deliberate manipulation by Harris.

Harris knew the discharge sheet said neurasthenia. He changed it deliberately in his book. Why?

Thanks for catching my gaffe...and anyway its 6 or 1/2 dozen of the other. Stephenson did not and could not go to the LH and complain of neurasthenia or neurosthenia.

[Chris G.]

Originally Posted by How Brown

Chris:

No,Harris did not claim that Donston faked a disease. He claimed Donston faked a condition. Again, you cannot fake neurasthenia since only a doctor can determine whether the complaint you bring to him could be considered neurasthenic. Neurasthenia is a condition with a multitude of different symptoms. How the hell could Harris know which one RDS had? Thats right, he couldn't.

Besides,Harris botched the whole thing up in the first place as he did not pay attention to the discharge sheet.

Royal London Hospital Archives document reference LH/M/1/16 London Hospital register of in patients, 1888
Page heading: Physicians male patients
Date of admission: 26th July 1888
General number: 1146
Without ticket number: 735
Name: Roslyn Stephenson
Residence: Cricketers Inn, Black Lion Street, Brighton
Age: 47
Civil state: Married
Occupation: Journalist
Ward: Currie [deleted], Davis [substituted]
Case: Neurasthenia
Physician: Sutton
Date of discharge: 7th December 1888
Condition on discharge: Relieved
Number of days in hospital: 134


Once more, someone proves my point about this whole scam and charade... and its you Chris.

Harris HAD to have seen the discharge sheet in order to invent the baseless argument about neurasthenia being faked,since he mentions the condition incorrectly on page 110 as you have pointed out and posits that it was neurosthenia..

If he had NOT seen the discharge sheet,he would not have known what the doctors ( not Stephenson ) diagnosed him with in the first place.

Here again we have deliberate manipulation by Harris.

Harris knew the discharge sheet said neurasthenia. He changed it deliberately in his book. Why?

Thanks for catching my gaffe...and anyway its 6 or 1/2 dozen of the other. Stephenson did not and could not go to the LH and complain of neurasthenia or neurosthenia.

Hi Howard

It seems a silly thing to do, for Harris to claim D'Onston faked neurothesia when the discharge register actually says the condition for which the suspect was hospitalized was neurasthesia and then for Harris to make a big point of it in his book that D'Onston most assuredly did not have neurasthesia, supposedly an opposing condition. How about rather than it being a case of manipulation or deception on Harris's part but more likely a simple mistake and an advanced case of "suspectitis"?

Chris