THE THAW CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8387, 23 March 1907, Page 5

THE THAW CASE.

Received March 22, 7.56 a.m. LONDON, March 21.

The New York correspondent of The Times reports that prominent physicians declare that Thaw is suffering from paranoia. It has been stated, but not in evidence, that he cannot live 18 months.

(Paranoia is a term used by specialists in insanity to indicate progressive degeneration of the mind, which takes several forms of monomania, including the jealous form, which one English authority (Savage) speaks of as "a dangerous and troublesome form of delusional insanity." This delusion leads_ to constant annoyance, threats ard violence. In their "Practical Manual of Insanitv," an American authority, published in 1902, Drs. Brower and Bannister give the following definition:— "Paranbia is a chronic form of mental disorder, on a more or less pronounced degenerative basis, characterised especially by systematised delusive conceptions, without essential involvment of the affective nature, other than may be due to the character of the intellectual aberrations, and not ordinarily accompanied by any rapid or general failure of the . reasoning faculties.!' The same authority adds that "it may be said to be, in a general way, incurable." Received March 22, 10.4 p.m. NEW YORK, March 22.

Mr Jerome, prosecuting counsel, presented to Judge Fitzgerald the affidavits of seven specialists certifying that Thaw was insane. The case has been adjourned till Saturday to await Mr Delmas' reply to Mr Jerome's case for a Lunacy Commission.