The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-12-01

=
were among the most famous of their
time in the Notwithstanding to one of
the chief hospitals of Ediqburgh, were
at fault in similar manner The case
was this a poor woman of the port of
Leith had married sailor, to whom she
was very fondly attached They had
one or two children and we're in by no
means good circumstances The man
went to sea in pursuit of his usual avo
cations and at the end of two or three
months intelligence was received in Leith
of the loss ofthe vessel with all on board
Left in penury. with. no means of sup
porting her children but her. own hard
labor, the poor woman, who was very at
tractive in appearance. was pursuaded to
marry man considerably older than her
self. but in very tolerabe circumstances.
By him she had one child and in the
year l7s6. she was sitting on the broad
open way. called Leith-walk, with baby
on her lap. Suddenly she beheld her
first husband walk up the street direct
ly towards her The man recognized
her instantly. approached, and spoke to
her. But she neither answered nor
moved She was struck with catalepsy.
In this state she was removed to the
Royal In6rmary. and her case, from the
singular circumstances attending it, ex-
cited great interest in the medical pro-
fesson in Edinburgh. which at that time
numbered among its professors the cele-
bratcd Cullen, and no less celebrated
Gregory. The tale was related to Inc
by one of their pupils who was present.
and who assured me that everything was
done that science could suggest till all
the ordinary remedial means were cx
haustod. The poor won al remained
without speech or motion, In whatever
position the body was placed, there it
remained and the rigidity of the mus
cles was such. that when the arm was ex
tended twenty minutes elapsed before
it fell to her side by its own weight.
Death was inevitable, unless some
means could be devised of rou ing the
mind to some active operation on the
body From various indications it was
judged that the poor woman was perfect
ly sensible. and Mt consultation Of all
the first physicians of the city, the first
husband was sent for, and asked if he
WAS wiling to co-oporatc.in order to give
his poor wife a chance cf life. He re-
piled with deep feeling that he was
willing TO lay down his own life, if it
would restore her; that he was perfect
ly satisfied with her conduct knew that
she had acted in ignorance of his exist
ence; and explained, that having hoated
to the coast of Africa upon piece of
the wreck he had been unable for some
years to return to | is native land, or
communicate with any one therein. In
th,sl circumstances, it was determined
to act Immediately The professors
G ouped themselves round the poor wo-
mfn and the first husband was brought
suddenly to the foot Of the bed towards
which her eyes was turned. carrying the
child by her second husband III his arms.
\ moment of silence and suspense sue
eccded but then. she who had lain for
SO many days living corps, rose solwly
up. and stretched out her hands towards
the poor sailor Her'lips moved, and
with a great effort she exclaimed, Oh,
John. John-you know that it was nae
may fault. The effort was too much for
ler exl a1stcd frame she fell back again
Immediately. and in FIVE minutes was a
corpse indeed
This story may have been told by O.
theirs before me, for the thing was not
done in a corner Bat always repeat
it, when occasion serves, in order o warn
people against an incautious use means
to which we are accustomed to attribute
less power than they really possess.