The Loss of Memory Case.

Manawatu Herald, 11 March 1893, Page 2

The Loss of Memory Case.

A Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Daily limes gives the following interesting particulars concerning a man whose singular loss of memory has recently caused quite a sensation in Melbourne : ~ The man who has lost his memory continues to be a subject of great public interest. It was the 9th of February when he walked into the police office and asked the officer to favor him by explaining who he was and where he came from. No hint as to the proper answer could be obtained to these questions until the 20th of last month, when a commercial traveller recognised his portrait. His wife has now been discovered, and the discovery has, only served to emphasise the genuineness of the case Tho man does not know his wife or child, has no remembrance whatever of them, and cannot, enabled even by their presence aud by its being explained to him what relation they bear to him, remember anything whatever concerning his previous existence. It turns out that bin name is George William Southern. H e was a piano • forte tuner residing in Albmy, on the border, and asio.iated with his business that of lift assurance agency. He is the son of an. English Baptist minister, and has been in the colonies for several years. In Wagga Wagga he gained some distinction among the Good Tempers, and it is a curious thing that : when Good Templar sijjns wen made to him the other day he was n ble to respond to them He got n.arried in Albury about two years ago, and settled down there, tie was a good'huaband in every way. de did not drink or live riotously, his wife and he lived happily together, pnd he was. a fond father to his chill, which is. now about ten months old. He had good health except that he suffered a good deal from headachr-3 and from sleeplessness. On the 9th January he left home to go to a neighbouring ~ town, and from (bat time uqtil. his wife was told that he was in Melbourne in such an extraordinary condition she had not heard of him. As she thought ho might be transacting life assurance business, his absence for a few days did not alarm her, but when she did grow alarmed she and her mother telegraphed and wrote to several places but in vain. When she came down to Melbourne and was taken to see him in the gaol there was an affecting scene. She went forward to caress him, but he met her with an unreeognisirig stare. She then tried to give him the child, but he showed no signs that he recognised it either. He remains in the same condition still. He is told that she is his wife, but though he understands what that means he acts towards her as a complete stranger, and speaks of her as • This lady, my wife.' It is a singular thing th'it he can play on the harmonium and piano pieces of music he knew formerly, playing -'• thim from memory, not from music J but he cannot remember ever playing them before. His memory is absolutely blotted out. The doctors take great interest in his case. Dr O'Hara says that he has located a spot on the skull which Southern . cannot bear to be pressed, and he believes that the skull has thickened at this spot, and has grown in upon the brain, thus causing the loss of memory. There will probably be a big medical consultation over the case. . •