Litchfield enquirer., 1833-05-30

edly during the day; and generally cOnlln-
Ued from ten minutes to an hour at time.
Without any previous indications, her bo-
dy became motionless, her eyes fixed and
INsensible, though open, and she was total
Iy unconscious of external Impressions
| 'Fhese paroxysmS have often come on
when she was playing on the piano forte
and when this happened, she went on play
ing over and over again part of tune
with perfect correctness, but without adj
vancing beyond certain point. At one
time the paroxysm assaulted her when she
had just commenced 20 play from the book
a piece of music entirely now to her. She
continued the part which she had played,
and with the greatest accuracy she repeat
ed it five or six times but when the par
oxysm was at amend, she could not play it
without the book.
There are many authentic cases of per-
sons being able to perform pieces of vocal
music during their sleep, (which they are UNI
able to do when awake, and of exhibiting
feats Of memory and judgment Of an unu-
sual kind. The lady who is mentioned in
the Edinburg Journal of Science, AS subject
to the spectral illusions, is described as be-
) ing subject to talk in her sleep with great
fiuency, to repeat poetry very much at
length, particularly when unwell, and even
to cap verses for half an hour together, ne
yer failing to quote lines beginning with the
final letter Of the preceding, till her meno-
ry is exhausted.
DR.. Dewar mentions an apparently ig-
norant girl, in the neigIlborhood of StrI-
ing, who in her ordinary sleep, talked like
a profound philosopher, discoursed fluent
ly on the principles ofastronomy, and solv-
ed geographical problems whom proposed
to her. Upon inquiry, it was found out
that, while mending the FIRE and perform
ing other parts Of her household duties, she
had heard the instructions which were Civ
en- by tutor to the children Of the family,
and had pursnded, when alone, the train
of thought to which they have given rise.
DR.. Dewar has justly remarked, that the
originality of the language which she en-
ployed indicated mental operations beyond
the bare repetition of what she had heard.
4 When she was asked, for example, the
cause ofthe alterations of summer and win
ter, she replied, that they arose from " the
ear,h's axis being set agree"
; The affections which we have now de-
scribed occurred during the hours of ordi'
nary rest: but there are cases when they
; appear in the day time during paroxysms
q which are often indicated by noises in thu
s ears, or general confusion in the head
D In such cases the patient spouts poetry
tells stories, repeats past conversational talk
with imaginary personages, performs pie
ces of music in style superior to any thin
u they can do in their waking moments, ant
even employs as the vehicle of thei
thoughts languages with which they huv.
{ only been slightly acquainted.
Martinez, as quoted by DR.. Abercrom.
bic, has described the case of watchmak.
er's apprentice, who fell into one of these
paroxysms once fortnight; but who, tho
= insensible to all external impressions, per-
formed his work with his usual skill, and
was always astonished at the advancement
made in his work when he recovered
The paroxysm began with sense Of heat
: extending from the epigastrum to the head
: This was followed by confusion of thought
and complete insensibility, the eyes re-
naming open with fixedand vacant stare
The case terminated in epilepsy.
Mr.. Combe, as cited by Dr.. Abercombie
has referred to remarkable case describ-
7 ed by Major Elliot, professor Of mathemat'
les in the Academy Of West Point. in A.
merica. A young lady, Of cultivated
mind, recovered from an attack of somnol'
ency with the loss O all her acquired knoWl
|. edge. She Immediately began the first ell
ements of education, and had made consid
: cradle progress, when fit of somnolency
, restored to her the knowledge of which th'
first had deprived her, but obliterated al
; recollection Of what had taken place during
the interval. A third attack left her again
: 10 state of ignorance /; and these altern
, alto intellectual conditions occurred during
, period of four years, with the extraordi
F. nary circumstance, that when in the ont
D state she retained all her original knowl
: edge, but, when in the other, she retaine'
D only wha. she had acquired since the frs
5 attack. In the interval Of health, for ex
8 ample, her penmanship was beautiful; bu
during the paroxysm, she wrote "a poo
Q awkward hand." Persons introduced &
Q her during the healthy interval she recog
It nised only during subsequent healthy in
n terval, and not during the parOxysm. an
vice UersG.
DR.. Prichard mentions lady subject
J, frequent attacks Of delirium, who, at th