different realities and reactions Soon after the trial of Cornier l’Académie royale de médecine in Paris discussed at least ten recent cases of persons, mostly mothers but at least one father, who had fought with strong urges to kill their own child. In one of the cases the woman also had wished to kill her own mother. In the discussion the idea was also put forward that the awareness of these cases had become stronger. The problem in itself had not become more common.617 Both Henri Parrot and Étienne Esquirol had met several persons with homicidal monomania inspired to commit murder by hearing about other murders. In some of these cases the news about the crime of Cornier and her trial provided the inspiration.618 Also other murderers at the time, such as Louis-Auguste Papavoine, could inspire the desire to kill according to Victor Morin who also suggested a solution to the problem – if capital punishment could not be abolished at least the executions should not be public.619 There also existed several other cases in France discussed by the psychiatrists.620 In 1814 for example an eighteen years old girl, in service elsewhere, returned to the home of her parents with the intention to murder her mother with a knife she had bought. She was weary of life and sought thereby to be executed. The sight of her mother however made her abandon her plan and run away. Strangely this family matter came to be pursued in court as attempted parricide, but after consulting several physicians the court came to a non-psychiatric solution. She was found not guilty as she had voluntarily not pursued the attempt.621 In the specific case the question of insanity could get quite different answers. Sometime the courts followed the psychiatrists in finding the accused insane; sometimes they did not, resulting in adeath sentence and often an execution.622 For example, Pierre-Marie-Hipolyte Meudic was sergeant-major for a regiment in Strasbourg. He wanted to be executed 617 The medico-chirurgical review 1827 p 226 sq. 618 Parrot 1833 p 15 sq, Esquirol 1827 p 32, 40, Prichard 1842 p 100 sq. 619 Morin 1830 p 27 sq. 620 See e g Georget 1828 p 1 sqq, 49. 621 Jacquelin-Dubuisson 1816 p 122 sq. 622 Prichard 1842 p 94 sq. 177
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=