Dr. Mitchell discusses several well-known cases of multiple personality, including the cases of: Ansel Bourne, Felida X, Mr. Hanna, Miss Beauchamp, Louis V, Mary Barnes, Madame B, and Milly P. The doctor then goes on to discuss how these secondary personalities can be formed and how it is possible for one personality to not be aware of the other personality. Dr. Mitchell takes on the view of these patients having co-conscious personalities, his reasoning is discussed in depth.
Mrs. X married at a young age, she soon became unhappy with her husband. She begins to imagine her neighbor is in love with her. When her husband dies she appears to have a psychotic event, and is sent to a mental hospital. Here she is thought to suffer hallucinations of a sexual nature. Her rambling thoughts are interpreted as having either sexual or social motives. The patient has previously had a sexual relationship with her brother. She also variously saw her father, her pastor and the President as her lovers, none of which were likely true. Mrs. X was discharged after four months and focused her efforts on religion and raising her children. A male patient is also briefly discussed here, he is also said to suffer from a lack of an adequate outlet of the expression of sex motives.
A man is accused of stealing an automobile. After the crime was committed the man had no knowledge of it in court. He was said to have suffered from automatism. The man was not considered to be insane, therefore, he was found guilty and sentenced to jail. The author compares the case to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If one personality commits a crime, can the other personality be held responsible for it?