Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-11-11


by pains in his body, great heats, and VIC,
lent head ache; he soon lost his speech,
and shortly after, his internal and external
senses.
" About a month. afterwards, the fever
and heats abated but he had become so
lean during his malady, that IL was difficult
to discover inShim aeshy 6bre.--Hls body
resembIed that of skeleton covered by a
slight skin.
He remained lying on his back con-
stantly, and immoveabe his hands on his
breast, his legs stretched out, and his eyes
generally closed. He passed eleven years
in this helpless state, till the summer of
1882. Except alistle milk tnsinua,ed he.
tween his lips, and sometimes Spoonfal of
wine or brandy, and at the same time a
pinch of snuff he absolutely took no o;her
food. No one can recollect, during all this
time, that he ever Expressed wish for
food. He could pass over four DAYS and
sometimes week, without taking milk.
AS he had neither flesh nor fat, this con.
slant position did not occasion him any ul.
cers In his back
His brother, Anders Alusson, shew.
ed every iratcrnal affection for him, aud,
during these tedious and melancholy years,
, he sought every means 20 restore him to
life, (for his present state could scarcely be
called life, which the mosetender friend
ship suggested. He boiled some plants,
with which he fomented his head frequent
ly. Oluf appeared to recover certain de-
gree OF sensation, regain little strength,
and seemed gradually restored, but he gave
no mark of perception or reasoning. He
appeared In restless state, and futi OF a.
larm, in the presence of any person.
6 In this state he remained a considers.
bic time before would suffer himself to be
observed stepping out OF his bed, which
therefore he generally did in the night, or
when the family were out in the fields;
then would he drag himself 10 the spot
where he could take little milk but fire.
quently, by the unexpected entrance of a.
ay one; he was seized with great trepida-
tons, and frequently remain stretched out
on the ground wirhour the least capabikty
10 make him quit his usual abode, would
take him out, give him other nourishment
{ no. he ever preferred milk, adding some
strengthening substances. bahed his head
with cold water, by spring at some dis
;ance from the house. Although the pa
ten, had recovered his hearing and feeling,
he still remained extremely feeble aud
meagre. without power OF articulation, and
with scarcely any trace of reason habit,
however, made him capable of going him
self TO draw water from the spring 10
battle his head.
"Twelve years had elapsed since the
commencement Of this malady and he as
,onshedthe village when they saw him sud-
denly recover the use OF his physical faeul-
ties. This happened on the 9Th Of August
1888, when he returned with water, in the
presence Of his brother, Of his two sisters,
and the servants, IS they we're preparing
to dress for church. Il was then he was
seized with shiyerines, tremors in his arms
and legs, ard said, in hurryiog voice,
'sLotd Ged! This is amazing! Where
have been all this tlre:"
(" st this moment vein in the crown OF
his head opened OF itself, and there Tell out
about six drops of blood; another vein o.
pened at the extremity OF the right nostrll;
another at the chin; and there ran, as if
from both ears, nearly as mach blood.
s"Neally about this time he also re-, yer.
ed his speech, spoke what he wished, bad
his perfect understanding, called by their
NAMES all those who were in CT out of the
house, aEd whom he bad snowa before his
malady, aud was assonished to find them
grown so old; but be did not recognize one
Of those whom be had not known before his
disorder, although they had appeared daily
before MIN during its prolonged state.
"Oluf considered his accident as a mere
dream. without knowing whether II had