A manual of medical jurisprudence for India : including the outline of a history of crime against the person in India / by Norman Chevers.

Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of medical jurisprudence for India : including the outline of a history of crime against the person in India / by Norman Chevers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    affection towards her, and expressed regret for his misconduct. That he talked of being visited by two spirits, one of a benevolent, the other of a malign character ; one desiring him to murder his wife, and the other forbidding it, and telling him that he would be happy with her at last. That he declared his sister, the Baroness Solaroli, to be illegitimate. That he was suspicious that his food had been poisoned.—On the other part, it was responded that in none of these opinions or actions was there anything that could be regarded as evidencing Insanity in an individual born aud educated in Iudia. It was shown that Mr. Sombre resided with the Begum Sumroo from early childhood, and lived with her dovvu to the period of her death, save only during the time when, as a boy, he resided with the Rev. Mr. Fisher, to whose habits and manners he then, temporarily, conformed ; that such residence produced no permanent change in his habits and feelings, which were essentially those of a native of Iudia, in the condition of life to which he belonged ; that, in regard to his habits and conduct, there was no change at any time prior to his decease. That, although he had to some extent acquired an English education, so as to be in a measure acquainted with the manners and habits of Europeans, yet he was strongly imbued with the feelings peculiar to the natives of oriental countries, with respect to the treatment, demeanour, and conduct of women; and retained such feelings, amounting occasionally to fits of uncontrollable passion and jealousy, to the time of his death ; and that he was naturally of an irri- table aud suspicious temperament. That the indecencies which had been charged against him, as proofs of Insanity, were really to be referred to his early habits and his Indian notions of dress ; aud that occasionally, while resident in the Upper Provinces, he had appeared in his dwelling- house, aud in places of public resort, in a state of nudity, or without any article of clothing except a lungotee fastened round his loins and hips. That he was always of a jealous disposition, and frequently com- plained of the usages of English society, [certaiuly most abhorrent to the prejudices of a native of India,] which compelled him to allow his wife to go into company where she received the attentions of other men. That his distrust of General Ventura arose from the General having expressed himself in terms of strong admiration of Mrs. Dyce Sombre.* A refer- * One is never asked how his wife does. Such an inquiry would be considered imperti- nent, and be felt by the husband as an insult. It is still more requisite that, when one visits his friends, he should never show any desire to see the wife, or even speak to her if they meet, unless they be near relations. What idea can he (the Native of India) form of Europeans, when he sees them bring their females to mix in their intemperance, and beholds women shamelessly laugh, play, and toy with men, and even join them, without blushing, in the dance; he whose wife dares not sit down in his presence, and who has never known or imagined that persons of that sex, with the exception of the common girls and prostitutes, could take it in their heads to amble aud caper.—Description of the Character, Manners, and Customs of the People of India, by the Abbe Dubois, published 1817, pp. 188-194.
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