Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-05-04

Il
and Surgical Journal, contains the following
account Of the nno,nsio ious case OF Miss Sarah
Burbeck. Of Salem, who is represented not to
have slept for n moment, nor been free from
pain, for fifteen years. Her body and limbs
are in perpetual moiion-and almost all the
joints in her body have been dslocated thou
sands Of times:
"When I entered her room. she was sit.
ting up in bed, and her righ, arm, hand and
fingers were twisting about IN every direc
,on presently che leaned forward and lhre W
herself back against the headboard, as II de
termined 10 break her head. The headboard
was within an inch or two Of the wall, and
though large, we'll stuffed pillow wac placed
sgainst il. when her head struck the pillow II
was with such force that the bedstead struck
the wall, causing the whole house 10 tremble.
During ten minutes that sat there, she was
thrown back in that manner over thirty times
II appeared to me that ench blow of her head
against the pillow, board and wall, was suffic
ieut to stun a common person. yet sho hardly
appeared 10 notice II.
During the intervals between these spasms
her right arm, hands and fingers were twlst
ing about, and her righ, shoulder and under
jaw were drawn out Of joint and in coniin'
ually, the bones rsiling and grinding toge'h'
or with q noise that could be heard IN other
rooms, az was told by several present. Be-
ing deaf could not hear them, but by pla
cling one hand on her cheek and the other on
her shoulder, I could feel the grinding and
cracking as the muscles keep them in con-
slant motion.
Sometimes her jaws are locked several
hours and even days and Of one time, 1t ]
remember right, they were locked twenty
FIVE days, when all the nourishment she took
was through an aperture caused by the loss
Of n tooth.
Her jaws have been so often disloca,ed, +,
she can bite nothing except when the con
traction OF the muscles throws her teeth 10
gc,her, and then her tongue is often caugh,
between her teeth and severely bitten. She
takes no nourshment except in a liquid state,
aud that with The greatest difficulty. as IL
causes strangulalion, spasms, aud severe dis
tress
These spasms sometimes throw her from
her bed 10 the pas'cring over head, and some
tunes on Ia the floor, aud any atemp; to hold
her increases her agony.
face with such force ss To- bruise her face aud
break the skin, aud one Of her eyes has thus
been destroyed.
! While conversing with her, her jaw was
thrown out OF joint, and dawn down in u
most shocking manner, aud abe wns thrown
back three times with such force as caused
the whole house 10 shake, and the moment
the spasm ceased ste finished her senten
cnmmencing n, the very word whore the III
mad interrupted her, and with 81 calm voice,
That asked her N sstonishment, II she frli
40 pnin VI hen ihus attacked. She said the
pain was so excrucia'ing. If she would give
way to her feelings her screams might BE-
heard half n mile but a. that would only
distress Others, she hsd learned To be quiet.
Her father Is over 80 years OF age. and had
, shock Of palsy, from which he had partially
rpcovored when ! saw hin,. Her mother ..
"ger 20, and had the care of this suf''rlng
rh,ld uu'il prevented by sickness within "
yenr aud u half. At the time at my u~r sl'
wss copincd IN the same room 10 a very Tee
BILE state"