The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-09-29
4 Curious Case The man Who has Slept Five
Year,

4 Curious Case The man who has Slept fiv
Ysan.
We called yesterday to see the man wht
has been asleep for FIVE years, and whose
case was detailed in the Times, some weeks
since. We found him in what seemed like
a sound sleep. He was lying in bed, hl'
eyes nearly closed, his respiration rather
slower than is usual, his breathing lttlt
steutorous, pulse some seventy-five strokes
in minute, soft and weak. On attemptin.
to open his eyes, he firmly closed them
and when, by force, the lids were opened
the eyes we're rolled upward 50 that it wa
impossible 70 see the pupils. The mouu
was slightly opened; on attempting to opel
it wider. the jaws were instantly locked
There was constant trcmor Of the eyelids
and from his mouth there was some drise!
ling. His body was extremely emaciated
his arms were folded upon his breast, and
any attempt to remove them was strong y
resisted. The muscles seemed rigid and
tense when the effort was made, and indeed
it was impossible, without violence, to
change at all the position Of his limbs,
Once during our stay, he drew long breath
like q man who is about to turn in his sleer.
Al another time, he hitched himself up a
little in bed. He was lifted up bodily and
seated on the side OF the bed; his head was
still bent forward upon his chest, his legs
crooked under him at the same angle, and
his arms folded as when he was lying.
There was nothing to indicate that he
would not retain the same position for weeks.
We lifted one foot, the other came up with
it. There was little or no bending at the
knee, or at the hip; the feet were raised
only as the upper part of the body was car
ried backwards. He was placed standing
upon the floor. II required few moments
to balance him exactly; after that, he stood
in the same position 50 long as We remained,
there was nothing TO indicate that ne would
not maintain the same posture for month.
This certainly is a most marvellous case
There is not the slightest chance for any
COLLISION or deception in the matter. Many
of our best physicians have examined him.
none, SO far as we can hear, believe any
deception in the case to be possible. From
in the western part of New York,
and from men Of the highest standing, we
are assured that the story which is told OF
him is perfectly true.
Though we have given history OF It be-
fore, a brief restatement is warranted by
the interest created by his presence here.
His name is Cornelius Vroman; he was born
in Schoharie county, but has lived since he
was seventeen years Of age, in GARRISON,
Monroe county, not far from Rochester.
He was hard working man. good work
er, temperate, trusty, and, at the time when
his strange sleep came on, he was working
on the farm of Mr.. Moses Jennings. His
mother is dead; he has father and two
brothers living in Clarkson. On the 18th
Of June, ls4s, he felt unwel enough to cal!
in Dr. John 5. Cole, who found him COM
planning OF some pain in the stomach and
in the head, for which he prescribed. Af,er
this. without becoming any more sick, his
sleep each night grew longer. until a, last il
aas found impossible 10 wake him. Out o.
this sleep he has never come, TO remain
wakeful for more than sixteen hours al
time; and the aggregate Of all his waking
hours since the seizure is not over three
days. At first they were ottener, but now
the wakeful intervals reeur about every SIX
weeks. The last time he awoke was while
he was ID Rochester, some ten weeks since,
which gives US hope that his waking hour
now approaches, and that we may see him
in his wakeful condition. When awake,
be seems totally unconscious of his peculiar
lty, and has said some things which Indicate
that he remembers matters as they were be-
fore his change. They say that he straight
ems himself up then, and walks as kimberly
as others Yet now TO handle his limbs, We
fear that they must be partially anchy losed.
But on this point we are not satisfactorily
informed.
His diet consists principally of milk,
sometimes with little bread soaked in it.
1t is with some difficulty that it can be adj.
ministered. The jaws must be forced open
as in tetanus, and the liquid poured in be-
tween his teeth. Once he went without
any food for five days; but his friends OBJ
jected to any further conduct of the expert
ment, though there was no change in his
symptoms during that time. When the
seizure occurred he is said to have weighed
100 pounds; now, he cannot weigh over go
pounds. His height was six feet two in
ches.
Once he was left standing for three days;
there was no change in his position during
that time.
We are not informed definitely as to the
medical treatment to which he has been
subjected. We are told, however, land be
has scars that attest it, that he has been
blistered and bled, subjected to issues, setons,
and CONTAMINATION Of almost every sort:
that tones and sudden stimulants have all
been applied; but medicine has exhausted
is reSuurcps in vain 0ncp he was throyrp
into the water, but il produced no change
His personal appearance is anything but
prepossessing. The beard which cover:
his face and lips, stands erect, and the hail
Of his head also stands on end We are
assured that this is no peculiarly in the
family, and that nothing of this sort, NJ
tendency TO epileptic or kindred diseases, has
ever been noticed in the family.
Medical men regard this case with the
profoundest interest Il is entirely with
out parallel in medical history Cataleps,
it has been called, but the rigidi,y of the
muscles is quite uncommon; indeed, tbs
limbs of the cataleptic generally seem to be
plastic, maintaining the position in which
they are placed-yielding readily, however
10 any counterbalancing power.
Cases are recorded where lethargy-o,
cataphora, as some prefer to call it--ant
coma have been greatly prolonged; but il
these We believe the voluntary motions 0
which We have spoken were entirely absent
No case, however, of either has been pro
tracted for years as has this. This curiou,
case seems both 10 battle all medical skill
and TO defy the history of medicine to adduct
Ill u