Lord Nelson

"Lord Nelson"*

*The new inmate at the mental hospital announced in a
loud voice that he was the famous British naval hero,
Lord Nelson. This was particularly interesting, because
the institution already had a "Lord Nelson."

The head psychiatrist, after due consideration, decided
to put the two men in the same room, feeling that the
similarity of their delusions might prompt an adjustment in
each that would help in curing them. It was a calculated
risk, of course, for the two men might react violently to
one another, but they were introduced and then left alone
and no disturbance was heard from the room that night.

The next morning, the doctor had a talk with his new patient
and was more than pleasantly surprised when he was told,

"Doctor, I've been suffering from a delusion. I know now that
I am not Lord Nelson."

"That's wonderful," said the doctor.

"Yes," said the patient, smiling demurely, "I'm Lady Nelson."
Received on Tue Feb 2 07:42:35 2010