Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-07-06

FROM Fr0zeTs magazine.
ACCOUNT OF THE EXTRAOR-
BINARY SLEEPER, SAMUEL
Chiffon, OF TINSBURY.
| Samuel Chiffon, an inhabitant of the
village Of Tinsbury, near Bath, was a
laborer of robust habit OF body,
though not corpulent, and had reach
ed the 18th year Of his age.-When
apparently in perfect health, he fell
into a profound sleep on the 18th May,
1864, and every method which was
tried to rouse him proved unsuccess-
full. His mother ascrlbed bis conduct
to sullenness Of temper and dreading
that he would die Of hunger, placed
within his reach bread and cheese and
small beer and though no person
ever saw him eat or drink during a
whole month, yet the food set before
him was daily consumed. At the end
Of month, he rose of his own accord,
put on his clothes and resumed his usu-
al labors in the field.
After lapse Of nearly two years,
namely, on the 9th Of April, 1896, he
was again overtaken with excessive
sleep. He was now bled and blister
ed, cupped and scarified, and the most
Irritating medicines applied external
ly, but they were unable to rouse or
even to irrtate him, and during a whole
fortnight he was not seen to open bis
leyes. He ate, however, as before, Of
the food which was placed near him,
and performed the other functions
which were required but no person
ever saw any Of those acts, though he
was sometimes found fast asleep with
his mouth full Of blood.-in this con-
ditlon he lay ten weeks.
A singular change in his constitution
now took place. He lost entirely the
power Of eating I; his jaws were set,
and his teeth so closely clenched, that
every attempt to force open his mouth
with instruments failed.-Havlng &C
cidentally observed an opening in his
teeth, made BY the action Of the tobac-
|co-pipe, and usual with most great
smokers, they succeeded in pouring
some tent wine into his throat through
ia quill. During forty slr days, he sub.
sisted on about three pints or two
quarts Of tent.
At the end Of seUenteen week., VIZ.
about the 7th Of August, he awoke,
dressed himself, and walked about the
room, being perfectly unconscious that
he had slept more than one night.
Nothing, indeed, could make him be-
lieve that he had slept so long, till up
on going to the fields be saw the crops
of barley and oats ready for the sickle,
which he remembered were only sown
when he last visited them.
Although his flesh was somewhat
diminished by so long fast, yet he
was said to look brisker than he had
ever done before. He felt no incon-
venicnce whatever from his long con-
fiDement. and he had not the smallest
recollection Of any thing that had hap
pencd. He accordingly entered again
upon his rural occupations and contin-
uad TO enjoy good health till the morn
ing of the seventeenth Of August, 1877,
when he experienced n GOODNESS and
sf.ivering in his back and after vomlt-
inS once or twice, he again fell into
his former state of somnolency.
DIR. William Oliver, to whom we
owe the preservation Of these remark
able facts, happened to be at Bath,
and hearing Of SO singular case set
out on the 23rd Of August, 70 inquire
into his history. On his arrival at
Tinsbury, he found Chiffon asleep,
with bread and cheese, and a cup Of
beer placed on a stool within his
reach. ills pulse was regular though
a little too strong, and his respiration
free. He was in a "breathing sweat"
with an agreeable warmth over his
body. DR.. Oliver bawled into his ear,
pulled his shoulders, pinched his nose,
stopped his nose and mouth together,
but Notwithstanding this rude treat
ment, he evinced no indications Of scn-
sibility. Impressed with the belief
that the whole was IS cheat" DR.. OIL
ner lifted up his eyelids aud found the
eyeballs drawn up under the eyebrows
and perfectly motionless. He held a
vial containing sal-ammoniac under
one nostril considerable time but
though the Doctor could not bear i'll
for moment under his own nose with
out making his ewes water, the sleep
inc patient was insensihln 70 ;te nun