Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-03-15

A Young Lady Living Without Food
Remarkable Features Of the Case.
The following communication appears IN
the New y ork Times Some publicity has
recently been given to facts which for sew
eral months past have been familiar to ma
ny families in Brooklin, respecting the IN
explicable pecuharitles Of Miss Mary
who has been afflicted, and is still suffering
from disease, aud who presents a study not
only for the medical facility, but for students
/ in mental science About a year ago this
4 young lady had the misfortune to be thrown
/ from horse, and received severe Injuries,
/ in consequence, but so far recovered as tC
/ be able to walk and ride out for exercise.
I On one Of these occasions when she was II
/ ding in a car, as she attempted to step to
I the street, her hoop skirt caught, and she
was thrown down and dragged some dis
/ tance, receiving very severe injuries, which
caused apprehensions that she would lose
her life She was taken to her mother 5
residence where she has since remained,
and where every possible tenderness and
attention were layished upon her, and
though mauy physicians have seen her aud
several of her friends, yet the history OF
| the case, which may be regarded as extreme
1 ly important to science, has been hitherto
yelled from the publicity being the
/ last thing that the family, Of which the
I young lady Is most estimable daughter,
/ would desire The very great Importance
/ Of the case, notwithstanding the marvel
/ Gus character, must be the excuse for break
/ ing silence upon the facts.
/ Ii appears that Miss Mary after
{ being taken home, was a sufferer from Sc
! we're spasms, after which she rechned on heI
( right side, with her right hand under the
t back of her right ear. The left hand was
I at liberty, and one of the lower limbs was
twisted around the other, the toes being
somewhat near each other In this condi
! ton the patient remained, her eyelids and
teeth being closed SO that the physician;
were Of the opinion that lockjaw had set in.
/ The patient not only took no food and NJ
/ drink, but she did not sleep Her eye,
/ we're closed, but her mind was always awake
I The variations from these conditions and
posture were only during spasms, when the
/ limbs were set al liberty for moment, and
+ then few back to their wonted places.
/ While in the ordinary position and unafiect
/ ed by spasms, the patient soon began to dis
I play remarkable powers, which will be com
I pretended when they have been described
/ She wrote with her left hand 10 her friends
/ and never iallcd to write 90 the ruled blue
lines Of the paper with the same ease IS il
she had the use Of her eyes. Her letters tC
I her friends and schoolluates are cheerful
compositions, written in an elegant Italian
/ back hand although the use of the thumt
Of the left hand is denied to her The per
has always been taken by the f1rednger aud
| firmly erasped, the little finger aud the edge
Of the hand being parallel to the paper
/ These letters have been samiliarly siened
'Mollie, and breathes no complaint at her
sufTeringss. This young girl, however, has
not been deserted by nature altogether aud
7 left to be pitied. She has been able tu cal
up the deepest interest, because she secm-
/ to be gifted with clajrvoyance 70 remark
able degree She cruche;s, and that, too
IN colors The materials are placed at Oh,
back Of her head, when she uses the thumb
and forefnger of her right hand and hel
left hand in producing very handsome re
suits She eau crochet, thus at the back ui
/ her head, without making any mistake IN
the colors, as well as any young lady who
! has the use Of vision aud her two hanl,.
! She can also cut beautifully in paper, ami