MULTIPLE PERSONALITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1931, Page 6

MULTIPLE PERSONALITY

MABEL’S OTHER SELVES. LONDON, October 16. Closely following the case of the Rev. Frederick Wollett, who committed suicide while of unsound mind, a remarkable case of multiple personality is described in the “Lancet” by the psychologist, Dr. Robert M. Riggall. A young unmarried woman, an inmate of a Devon mental hospital, declared she had a dual personality being one person by day and another by night. She was sent to St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, where she is in the care of Dr. Stoddart, whose notes show that eight different personalities were discovered by means of hypnosis. The woman’s real self was presumably “Mabel,” a good, patient, moral, economical soul. Each personality was ignorant of what the others did. “Miss Dignity” persecuted “Mabel” by writing virulent letters, tearing her clothes and destroying her money; so “Mabel” sometimes nearly starved. “Biddy” was a cheerful, helpful personality. The .others were harmless, except one personality, which was evil. Any personality could bo called up, but the observer could usually speak only.to Mabel. Even the handwritings of the personalities were different. |