The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-07-17
After the lapse of nearly two years, |

gain overtakea with excessive sleep -
He was now bIed, blistered, cupped and
the most irritable medicines applied ex-
ternaIly, but they were unable to rouse
or even to irrilate him, and during a
whole fortnight lie was never seen to o.
pen his eyes. He ate, however, as be-
fore, of the food which was placed near
him, aud performed The other functions
which were required but no person
ever saw any Of those acts, though he
was sometimes found full Of blood. In
this condition he lay ten weeks.
A singular change in his constitution
now took place. He lost entirely the
power of eating his jaws were set, and
his teeth so closely clenched, that every
attempt to open his mouth with instru-
ments failed. Having accidentally OBJ
served an opening in lis teeth, made by
the action of the tobacco pipe, and usual
with most great smokers, they succeed
ed in pouring some tent wine into his
throat through quill. Duripg forty six
days, he subsisied on about three pinls
or two quarts Of tent.
AT the end Of seventeen weeks, viz !:
about the 7th Of August. he awoke,
dressed himself, and walked about the
room, being perfectly unconscious of
having slept so long, till upon going TO
the fields he saw crops of harley and oats
ready for the sickle, which he remem-
bered were only sown when he last visi-
ted them.
Although his flesh was somewhat di-
minished by so long fast, yet he was
said to look brisker than he had ever
done before. lie felt no Inconvenience
whatever from his long confinement, and
he had not the smallest recollection of
any thing that had happened. He ac-
cord'ngly entered again upon his rural
occupations and continued to enjoy good
health until the morning Of the l7th Au-
gust, 1897, when he experienced cold
ness and shiverng in his bnck-; aud af-
ter vomiting once or twice, fell into his
former state of somnolency.
| DR.. William Oliver To whom we owe
the preservation of these remarkable
facts, happened to he at Bath, and hear
ing Of so singular case, set ont on the
23d of August to inquire into Its history.
On his arrival at Tinsbury, he found
Chiffon asleep, with bread aud cheese,
and cup of beer, placed on stool With
in his reach. His pulse was regular,
though little too strong. and h,s respir-
alton free. He was In "breathing
sweat" with an agreeable warmth over
his body. DR.. Oliver bawled iHio his
ears, pulled his shoulders, pin shed his
nose, stopped his nose and mouth to-
gether; but notwithstanding this rude
treatment, he evinced no indications Of
sensibility. Impressed with the belief
that the whole was ga cheat" DIR. Oil
yer lifted up his cyelds and found the
ey eballs drawn up under his eyebrows,
aud r,urf.~,Iy o,v,;o"lsss- Hold &. pL;"I
containing spirit Of salmonac under one
nostril II considerable time but though
tile Doctor could not bear it n nome mt
nnd-r his own nose without making his
eyes water, the sleeping patient was in-
sensible to its pungency. The ammo
niacal spirit was thrown up his nostrils,
to the amount of about half an ounce !;
but though it was Gas strong almost as
fire, it only made the patients eyelids
SILVER and trembIe.
Thus baffied la every attempt to rouse
him, our ruthless Doctor crammed the
snme nostril with the powder Of white
hellebore and finding this equally in
active, he was perfectly convinced that
no imposter could have remained ins-0-
slble to such applications, and that Chill
ton was really overpowered with sleep.
In the state i'm which DR.. Oliver left
him, various gentlemen from Bath wen,
to see him hut his mother would not
permit the repitition of any experiments.
On the second of September, Mr..
Woolmer, an experienced npoihecary.
went to see him, and finding his pulse
pretty high he took IA ounces of blood
from his arm but neither at the open
ing of the vein, nor during the flow of
the blood, did he make smallest move
ment.
In consequence of his mother remo-
wing to another house, Chiffon was car
ried down stairs when in this fit of SOM
nolency. His head accidentally struck
against stDne, and received such n Sc
we're blow, that it was much cut but he
gave no. indications whatever of having
felt the blow. DR.. Oliver again visited
him in his new house and after trying
again some of his former stimulents, he
saw gentleman who accompanied him
20 run large pin in the arm Of Chiffon,
to the very bone, without his being sem
sible Of it. During the whole of this
long lit he was never seen to eat or drink