Case of spectral illusions / by Benjamin Bell.

  • Bell, Benjamin, 1810-1883.
Date:
[cbetween 1800 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of spectral illusions / by Benjamin Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    CASE OF SPECTEAL ILLUSIONS. By BENJAMIN BELL, F.R.C.S.E. (Eead before the Eoyal Medico-Chirurgical Society, Edinburgh, April 4.) The following case seems to possess considerable value in a scientific point of view, from the rare circumstance that the subject of it exhibits no impairment of her mental faculties, knows her false perceptions to be illusory, and is able to describe them in a very intelligent and graphic manner. She is a lady, considerably beyond eighty, of healthy constitution and vigorous mind, still takes a lively interest in passing events, and is surrounded by a circle of friends and acquaintances who cultivate her society for the attractive nature of her manners and conversation. It is proper to mention, that for more than a year, she has been debarred from both reading and writing, employ- ments in which she previously took great pleasure, by the partial formation of cataract in both eyes. Although vision is thus considerably impaired, she is by no means in darkness, but is able to recognize large objects, and, to a certain extent, the persons of her intimate friends. In other respects she enjoys good health, without being exempted from occasional catarrhal affections and tem- porary disturbances of the digestive function. In the month of July, ] 865, she began to be annoyed by noises which she likened to the ringing of bells of various sizes; some of them small and clear, others so loud and deep in their tone as to resemble church bells in close