Suppose a mental case to be on trial, as cases are tried in court. A man is charged with liver-complaint. The A mental court case. patient feels ill, ruminates, and the trial commences. Personal Sense is the plaintiff. Mortal Man is the defendant. Belief is the attorney for Personal Sense. Mortal Minds constitute the jury. Materia Medica, Anatomy, Physiology, and Hypnotism are the pretended friends of Man. The court-room is filled with interested spectators, and Judge Medicine is on the bench.
The evidence for the prosecution being called for, a witness testifies thus:—
I represent Health-laws. I was present on certain nights when the prisoner, or patient, watched with a sick friend. Testimony of Health-laws. Although I have the superintendence of human affairs, I was personally abused on those occasions. I was told that I must remain silent until called for at this trial, when I should be allowed to testify in the case. Notwithstanding my rules to the contrary, the prisoner watched with the sick every night in the week. When thirsty, he gave him drink. During all this time he attended to his daily labors, partaking of food at irregular intervals, sometimes retiring to sleep immediately after a heavy meal. At last he had the liver-complaint; which I considered criminal, inasmuch as the offence is deemed punishable with death. Therefore I arrested Mortal Man arrested. Mortal Man in behalf of the state (i. e. Body) and cast him into prison. At the time of the arrest the prisoner summoned Physiology, Materia Medica, and Hypnotism to hinder his punishment. The struggle, on their part, was long. Material missiles were employed vigorously, but unavailingly. Materia Medica held out the longest; but at length all these assistants gave up their weapons to me as a representative of Health-laws, and I succeeded in getting Mortal Man into close confinement.
