Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-03-05
Extraordinary Case of Needles Mania.

I
The following extraordinary narrative
we take from the Rochester Union, which
vouehes for the entire responsibility Of
the physician giving the remarkable
statements. Our readers can judge fol
themselves of its credibility.
The subject was young lady, 9years
OF age, of nervous temperament, very
healthy, and the daughter of a respecta
BILE farmer in Butternuts, Otsego county
n. Y. She first came tony Office April
2Sth, 1858, to have needle distracted
from her left arm, which she said ''got
, in accidentally as she was moving bun
die of carpet rags" This, a medium
sized sewing needle, was soonfound and
extracted from the exterior side of the
fore arm, about midway between the
wrist and the elbow. In less than aweek
she called again, saying she had another
needle in her arm, ! examined and found
deep in the bend of the arm hard sub
stance, which proved tob aneedlesimi-
lar to the first, and accounted for it in a
similar manner. One week after this
the arm was very much swollen, painful
and presented the appearance of malig-
nant erysipelas, which continued about
six days. After the inflammation and
swelling had subsidized, six needles were
found deep in hefesh, about three inches
from the elbow. May goth, fourteen
were taken out higher and more on the
posterior side of the arm; 3Oth, seven
teen We're taken from the arm and shout
der Some of those were superficial, ly-
ing just under the skin, but most ofthem
lay deep in the flesh, and number en-
, tirely under the bicep muscle. One OF
large size, lay with two-thirds its length
: imbedded in the barchial artery. One
large darning needle was found lying
directly on the bone, at the insertion OF
the detoid muscle, this caused some in
fiamation and suppuration, which led to
its detection. June 4th, twelve were
removed from the left arm, two from the
wrist, eleven from the left, and one from
the right breast. The whole number ex-
tracted during the month of June, was
eighty-seven. September, ten; October,
twenty-eight, mostly from the left breast,
and left side of the abdomen.
About the last of November, 1853, she
was attacked with violent spasms. They
continued about three weeks, and subse-
quently large number of needles were
found in all parts of her left side, from
the shoulder to the knee. When appa-
rcntly asleep she would converse with
her mother, and tell her where the nee
die might be found, but when awake
she could seldom be induced to speak OF
them. Also when in this sleeping or
somnambulic state, she was entirely I'M
: conscious ofpain. While cutting thro'
deep muscles, or in the most sensitive
parts, we never could perceive motion
indicative of feeling, ia number were ex-
tracted III this sleeping state,) on the
contrary, when awake, she experienced
acute pain, even from the least incision.
From January 1854, no needles were
found until the middle of the following
; summer, whom sho roeortod to pins, cut
ting off the heads and thrusting them in
to the flesh. Subsequently she used
hair pins, either Strengthened and put in
whole or the broken halves. These
were found in the large muscles of the
thigh. Several pieces of wire and parts
Of the largest size of knitting needles
nearly five inches in length, were found
lying directly on the bone of the ante
rior side. These were put in two or
three inches above the knee pushed up
wards under the flesh, and detected by
the discharge of little matter at the
point of insertion. A few needles and
pins were found at intervals till Deem
:. Der 18th, 1865, when l extracted six
needles and three pins, all of which had
lain in the flesh a long time;, some OF
them more than year. These were the
last found, and it is hoped by all her
friends that there will be no recurrence
of SO strange mania. r.
The whole number extracted. was of
sewing needles, 297-and these were of
all sizes--pins, 67, darning needles, 4,
hair pins, 5, knitting needles and wire,
each 5-total, 383. Great efforts were
made on the part of the family to detect
her in the act of inserting the needles,
but i'll vain. TWAS ascertained by COM
parisOn that most of them were taken
from box ofneedles which had lain in
the house long time. This was re-
moved, but she continued to use the
same kind, evidently from a supply Sc
creted about the premises. Almost ev-
cry means have been resorted to, to find
the reason for so strange fancy; but
nothing has yet developed it. She is
firm in her denial Of knowing when, how
or why she did it; simply saying, cit
must be that / do it, for / know no one
else does" She is perfectly sane on ev-
cry other subject. Although the effect
upon her general health has been bad,
yet during great share of these years
OF suffering, she has perfor med all her
accustomed portion OF no usehold duties.
Although these needles have been ex
hibited to the Professors of several Med
ical Colleges, with full details of the
ease, rs well as to large number OF
physicians in this State, yet suitable
name has hardly been given for a dis
ease pro ducing such effects. And when
so m any ''doctors disagree" shall 60
no farther than to term it remarkable
case of DaonoD,d5aia. The whole case
has been one of greater interest, anxiety
and mystery, than often comes under
the notice of the physician.
/ CHAs. SUMNER, ". d.
| A HoRRIp MURDER IN IowA-A Mr..
Kellogg, OF Delaware county, Iowa, was
most brutally murdered bv his wife, in