Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-12-05
from the Southern Literary Messengers.
CATALEPSH.
(COnciMied.)


time IN that month she came on visit TO my
house, where ] had for many days an oppor.
tunily of watching the changing phases Of
the disease. There was still an unnatural
vivacity about her She seemed, ms he ex-
pressed it, "iDebraiing at the living spring
OF bliss, while reelng through a wilderness OF
Joy" Her case had excited great interest in
the country, and visitors of all descriptions
daily called to see her. Most of the piiysi-
clans Of the country, and some from dis
ance, saw her. Clergymen, lawyers, and
Judges were often with her, and were some
tunes instructed, and always amused, unless
something was said to draw from her that
keen, biting sarcasm, which none who hava
felt can forget. ] have seen her IN conveT-
sation with many talented men OF the various
professions q! this country, and her colo
qnlal powers were such that she never for a
moment hesitatcd for a word or an ldca Oh
any topic that was started and have never
known her, in a single instance, defeated in
discussing any subject. Ii she did not by
her ingenuity turn the argument against her
opponent, she would by her vivid flashes Of
wit, cast such ridicule upon hun that he was
soon discounted. | have seen persons, who
huve smarted under her keen satire, on ac-
count OF some peculiarly or some fo,ble, hide
their heads, or slip out Of the way, to avoid
her observation she was certain to perceive
II. and 10 subject them Ia the soverest chas-
tlsemcnt that tongue could infl!ct.
!. Unfortunately, during this period Of high
mental excitement, ball was glveu and she
of course invited; for, what beau who hoped
for future ease in society, would dare 10
withhold an invitation from one who could
wihcr him into nlhility by hsr sarcasm and
wit. which she would not have hesiated to
publish IN the paper Of the town nor would
the editor have dared refuse publication. ]
used every argument, and worked every kmd
oi traverse 10 countoract her iDten'l,ns OF
attending the ball, but all in vsin. She drts-
sed herself IN the gayest aud most fantastic
attire that she could procure, and IN all the
dignity and state of quecn,F went TO The
ball. She was an object of admiration, not
only on account of the great nolorlsiy which
she had acquired, but the vivid scintlllatlons
of her wit, which seemed TO enllven the hole
assembly, and the ludcrous attitudes IN which
she placed some of the dandIcs and coqucIies
who were present. She indulged not only IN
dancing, but in the rich aud savory vlunds
which were otiercd--and on her return To
my house shc soon relapsed into her catalep-
tic state. Night after night have watched
by her bcdsde-oiten without sleeping
wink. Sometimes | would fear, much as ]
had become accustomed TO tho various chan
ges of her disease, that life was almost ex-
unct and just as thought my fears were
about to be realized, she would revive, end
entering into the most lively conversation.
would keep me and the attendants convulscd
with laughter After spending q night IN
this way, she would sometimes rise IN The
morning, dress herself, and go into company
as if well. Sometimes, in the midst oi con-
yersation, she would be seized with a cata-
lcptc fit, and whether standing, sitting or
reclining, she remained in the position WHEN
she occupied at the moment OF attack. Her
eyes we;r generally fixed imnoveably, with
that peculiar expression which ] have at
tempted to describe in the preceding part of
the protracted history Of this case-her res
pirallon suspended, and her muscles rigd.--
The peculiar characteristics of cntalepsy were
sirlklngly manifested at this period Of the
disease the limbs, though rigid, were move
able-you might bend the ann, extend It,
place the hand to the chin, forehead, or any
other part of the body, and there it would
remain during the paroXysm-the whole body
could be made tn assume the appear ance 81
sia,uary, OF which it was the finest model |
have ever seen.
These attacks were nlternated with others
which were convulslvs, in which the body
was contorted into u variety Of shapes The
trains of idea ucoeeding these two forms Of
the disease, were as separate and distinct es
those Of two different persons. For instance,
after recovering from catalcptc fr, she
would resume the discourse which she bsd
been engaged in after a former attack with
out seeming TO perceive that there had been
any interruption 10 it. Sometimes she would
hp in ha ibst nt IA blrh
she would, after the attack, complied with
grammatIcal accuracy Altcr the attack Of
convusion. she would, in like manner, re-
sumo the train of conversation peculiar 10
that attack. Ard what is remarkable, YOU
never could bring her in one frame Of mind
toa consciousness of what passed IN the
other. have often heard her crtIcise with
severity, and ridicule the ideas and express
sions attributed 10 her under such clrcuM-
stances.
Afer some abatement Of the symptoms size
was moved home, distance Of three or four
miles. Here the disease returned very much
as II hHG been AT my house, and continued, III
spite of oil the remedies prescribed by myself
aud variou, other physicians, until the 22d
of Jay. About a fortnight before that day
she observed to me, that had frcquenty
proposed to extract carious tooth of hers:
that II had been revealed t. her that " sire
would have 1t drawn on the 22d day Of July,
precisely ut three O'Clock, Il think that was
the hour,l it would in-lsuiy relieve her but
that 1t would be dangerous TO draw II nj any
other lime. could not possibly prevail on
her to consent To an earlier period. and she
often seemed alarmed lest should aucnpt
It forcibly, declaring that II would kll her
Before the arrival of tho day, we determined
to muilla the clock, the ticking OF which. tho
IN the room below her chamber, often alarm
cd her: and | directed the family 10 set II
back, il any accident should prevent my arri.
vol at the appointed hour. ]. I.bowcver, errived
b, fore the hour when went into the room,
she seemed ngi,sted, but resolved to submit
10 the operation. When the hour arrived,
she permitted mo 10 examine the tooth, &c.
When oil wns ready for the operation, she
swooncd III, and extracted the tooth With
out difficulty She laid short time in tho
swoon, which terminated IN a convusion.--
20 soon rs she opened her eyes, she express
sed grcn, relief; looked more composed than
| had ever before seen hcr--in the course ~
on hour she called far her work, aud from
that tmc forward attended To IL and her stud
les. NJ IL they had been undisiurbed. She
never had ony return of The disease that l
beard OF She manisda worthy geutismna