DELIRIUM FEBRILE. In Medical Juris prudence. A form of mental aberration inci dent to febrile disease, and sometimes to the last stages of chronic diseases.
The aberration is mostly of a subjective character, maintained by the inward activity of the mind rath er than by outward impressions. "Regardless of persons or things around him, and scarcely capable of recognizing them when aroused by his attend ants, the patient retires-within himself, to dwell up on the scenes and events of the past, which pass be fore him in wild and disorderly array, while the tongue feebly records the varying impressions, in the form of disjointed, incoherent discourse, or of senseless rhapsody." Ray, Med. Jur. 346. It comes on gradually, being first manifested by talking while asleep, and by a momentary forgetfulness of persons and things on waking. Fully aroused, however, the mind becomes clear and tranquil, and so continues until the return of sleep, when the same incidents recur. Gradually the mental disorder becomes more intense, and the intervals between its returns of shorter duration, until they disappear altogether. Occasionally the past is revived with wonderful viv idness, and acquirements are displayed which the patient, before his illness, had entirely forgotten. Instances are related of persons speaking in a lan guage which, though acquired in youth, had long since passed from their memory. See the definition of delirium by Bland, Ch., in Owing's case, 1 Bland, (Md.) Ch. 386, 17 Am. Dec. 311.
The only acts which are liable to be affected by delirium are wills, which are often made in the last illness during the periods when the mind is appar ently clear. Under such circumstances it may be questioned whether the apparent clearness was or was not real ; and it is a question not alWays easily answered. In the early stages of delirium the mind
may be quite clear no doubt, in the intervals, while it is no less certain that there comes a period at last when no really lucid interval occurs and the mind is reliable at 'no time. The person may be quiet, and even answer questions with some degree of pertinence, while a close examination would show the mind to be in a dreamy condition and unable to appreciate any nice relations. In all these cases the question to be met is, whether the delirium which confessedly existed before the act left upon the mind no trace of its influence ; whether the tes tator, calm, quiet, clear, and coherent as he seemed, was not quite unconscious of the nature of the act he was performing. The state of things implied in these questions is not fanciful. In every case it may possibly exist, and the questions must be met. After obtaining all the light which can be thrown on the mental condition of the testator by nurses, servants, and physicians, then the character of the act itself and the circumstances which accompany it require a careful investigation. If it should ap pear that the mind was apparently clear, and that the act was a rational act rationally done, consist ent one part with another, and in accordance with wishes or instructions previously expressed, and without any appearance of foreign influence, then it would be established. A different state of things would to that extent raise suspicion and throw dis credit on the act. Yet at the very best it will occa sionally happen, so dubious sometimes are the indi cations that the decision will be largely conjectural. 1 Hagg Reel. 146, 256, 602, 577 ; 2 id. 142 ; 3 id. 790 ; 1 Lee Eccl. 130; 229. See INSANITY.