MJK, F.Winslow, Occult Candles+Sexual Appetite: 'Alienist & Neurologist' Journal 1889

[Archaic]

This article was published as an editorial in the January 1889 edition of the American medical & psychiatric journal 'The Alienist and Neurologist'.

The article covers several topics, including the murder of Mary Kelly, the theories of Forbes Winslow, the American Journal of Medicine's prior article on the subject of "Occult Candles", and a discussion of "Sexual Appetite" as it might relate to Mutilation.

I found Dr. Gabe's eyewitness account of victim Mary looking like a slaughtered sheep very evocative and disturbing.

Best regards, Archaic

[lynn cates]

keeping score

Hello Archaic. Great find! It is interesting that, here too, Kelly is referred to as #8.

The best.
LC

[Archaic]

Half An Hour To Mutilate Mary??

Hi, Lynn.

It also says that in the doctor's opinion, the mutilation of Mary Kelly "must have been the work of perhaps a full half-hour".

We are used to considered it as having taken much longer than that; half an hour seems awfully fast.

Is it possible that the killer wasn't in Mary's room for as long a period of time as we have usually imagined?

I'm curious to hear what others think.

Best regards, Archaic

[lynn cates]

time frame

Hello Archaic. It's possible. Look at the differing time estimates for Annie Chapman.

The best.
LC

[Archaic]

Yes, Lynn, that's true.

I've always thought that the killer performed the mutilations of Chapman and Eddowes very swiftly, in a matter of minutes, but I did think he spent considerably longer on Mary because he was finally indoors and had the opportunity.

Now I'm wondering if he spent not hours and hours mutilating Mary, but maybe one hour.

Best regards, Archaic

[lynn cates]

lack of skill

Hello Archaic. I tend to agree with you. Given the lack of skill evidenced in Kelly's mutilation, it may not have taken too long.

The best.
LC

[Dave James]

Dr Bloch

This article was published as an editorial in the January 1889 edition of the American medical & psychiatric journal 'The Alienist and Neurologist'.

The article covers several topics, including the murder of Mary Kelly, the theories of Forbes Winslow, the American Journal of Medicine's prior article on the subject of "Occult Candles", and a discussion of "Sexual Appetite" as it might relate to Mutilation.

I found Dr. Gabe's eyewitness account of victim Mary looking like a slaughtered sheep very evocative and disturbing.

Best regards, Archaic

I wonder if the Dr Bloch mentioned in the article is related to Robert Bloch, the author?

All the best
Dave