Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-04-20
SINGULAR CASE.

own, a young soldier ofthe SD was adj
mitted patient. His age was about 10:
ne vas aWelchmsn, and the history OF
the case was this He enlisted in a tit
of drunkenness, few months before,
and from the time he was employed for
Spain he was seized with the most pro-
found melancholy. In landing at Pas
sage, port in the province OF biscay,
he was obliged 10 be carried on shore
SCARCELY took any nourishment, and was
necessarily talking of home, signing and
lamenting his absence from his native
mountains. The hills about San Sebas-
tan so reminded him of Wales, that he
almost wished he was dead before he
left that country. His comrades OBJ
served that he grew worse on the march,
and a little before the battle of Orthes
he. was taken into the Military Hospital,
and from this was forwarded to Bor-
deaux by carriage.
When the medical officer to whose
charge he was consigned assistant Sur
geon Magine) saw him, for The first time
at the Hospitals, he seemed perfectly
Indifferent to what was going forward ;
would answer no question, nor even o.
pen his mouth and his eyes were fixed
in a vacant stare; nor could it be OBJ
served that the eyelids winked. At first
the medical officer supposed that he
was playing off trick, not unusual a.
mongst skulkers; and having ordered
him cathar,ic, directed the orderly OF
his ward to pay most particular atten-
tion to the patients manner during the
day and night, but not to appear to take
any notice, iu order thai, if he really
was pretending, he might thus be dis
covered. The orderly slept in the next
bed to him. and, on the following day,
declared that he could scarcely hear
him breathe. and that in whatever posi-
tion he was placed, he still remained un-
til again moved by the orderly. On the
next visit, the surgeon tried by every
means in his power to make him speak
or open his mouth, or even make vol
untary motion, without effect. The
pulse was slow, and scarcely percepti-
BILE, evidently pointing out the true ma
ture Of the disease, and having learnt
from the patients comrades that he was
in a lethargic state for eight days before,
it was thought necessary TO treat him as
q case of real disease. Hot brandy was
Immediately ordered, and the surgeon
himself, with difficulty. put some of it
into his mouth, and he swallowed it,
but the pulse did not rise. A little hot
chocolate was then procured,as his COM
rades said he always seemed to like it,
aad the cup was placed in the patient's
hand. At this moment which was about
ten O'Clock in the morning, the surgeon
was called to different part of the Hos
Eital 10 An accident, and was occupied
IN his duties until haif-past two, when,
on returning, he found the poor WEIGH
.nan in the very same attitude, with the
cup of chocolate in his hand, and the
men in the ward declared he never
moved hairs breadth since the choco-
late was placed in his grasp-four hours
and half Active treatment was now
adopted according to the surgeons own
idea OF the case: and that was, first, to
administer drastic purgative with some
aromatics, and ordering good portion
CT hot wine TO De poured down his
threat. On the next day he had the
man stripped and brought down to the
yard, where half a dozen men, each
holding a pail of spring water, stood up
on height above where the patient
was placed. and one after the other
ehowered full stream upon the top Of
his head. About the fourth pail he
sunk of the chair, and was slightly con-
vulsed, He was then removed back,
and rubbed we'll by two strong fellows
with coarse towels for at least half an
hour. He was then put to bed and
wine given him, when ii was perceived
that his pulse was much fuller, and there
was hot glow upon the surface of the
skin. The orderly said he slept and
snored during the night, seeming to
breathe loud, which he did not before.
The bath in similar manner was re-
peated next day, with considerable ad.
vantage, for the man spoke several
words, and shed tears; the third day
the same, with still more advantage
and SO on till the sixth, when he con-
eersed freely, looked ford in the face,
and ate his provisions without assistance.
Care was taken during the whole of
this time to impress him with IAN idea
that he was ordered to England, and
that he was TO be discharged. 10 three
weeks the poor fellow recovered; and
to make bis situation as comfortable as
possible, he was employed as surgery
man in the Hospital, where he grew
very healthy, and declared that he did
not remember any thing since a shor,
time after he landed in Spain, until his
disease was removed.