The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-13
d Strange Phenomenon.
From the New York Evening Gazette, Feb

IN the City OF Brooklyn has long resided
highly respectable family, well known for thei
social position, which, If it is not one of wealth
j. that Of competence. -, q daughter of
widowed mother, young lady whose amiablt
qualities have always endeared her to her com
panions and friends, and now, at the age 0
twenty, she has become one Of the most re
markable invalids that have excited the medi
cal faculty. About year ago, - wa:
thrown from horse. and for sometime suf
fered severely from the injuries thus received
Her case, however, at thar time called for ne
more than the ordinary attention due to one
whose nervous and physical system had be.
come shocked by sudden and unexpected
fall. Subsequently another injury was sus
tanned by the unfortunate young lady, whose
case is now about to command the attention o.
the entire world Of physical and mental sci
cnce.
The second injury received by the young
lady was caused by having her skirt caught
by street car, through which misfortune She
was dragged a considerable distance. The
nature of The Injuries received has never been
fully determined, but it is coniectured that
some injury was sustained at the base of the
BRAIN qrto the spinal column. The patient
was removed to her bed, where she has re-
NAMED now about twelve months, undoubed-
ly a great sufferer, but yet losing nothing Of
her youthful color and beauty.
She reclines On her right side. Her right
hand rests under the right ear The fore fin
ger and thumb Of this hand can be moved at
will. The left hand and arm are free, but the
thumb of the left hand rigidly adheres to the
palm, and is not Of use in the various employ
IF ha TJorl he
riously ntertwisted. The eyes are closed and
the teeth firmly set, so that food or drink can
not be conveyed to the palate. The face of
the body has all the appearance Of complete
health and rather increases in beauty, not
withstanding the very remarkable disease, or
combination Of diseases which atflict the pa
tient.
The other phenomena are still more remark
able, since they show that the mind, though
deprived of all the ordinary senses, is just as
active, the feelings just as fresh, warm and
playful as when the invalid was in the enjoy
ment of perfect health. Though without the
use Of her mouth, eyes or teeth-though she
neither eats nor drinks, nor sleeps for weeks
together, yet she lives cheerful and compare
lively happy:
How she lives is the problem for science to
solve. For four months preceding last Sep
TENDER she has not tasted food Of any kind,
and had not slept. Since then experiments
have been made to feed her, as she has con-
yeyed message occasionally in these words:
ri feel hungry" Food, however, when
forced upon her, seems to produce frances
and catalepsy, and for twenty days together
she has remained in trance.
Occasionally the patient is affected BY
spasms. At these times the right hand is
thrown rigdly out, the leg unwinds, and a
CONFUSION takes place; but soon the limbs fly
back, like springs, to their wonted places, and
the mind of the sufferer becomes cheerful
again. In periods Of catalepsy other phenom-
ena present themselves. Among these is the
general rigidity of the body, that is like mar
bic, and she may then be placed upon the ex-
trenity Of the toes, and remain there immoy-
able. These, however, are the exceptions to
the generalcondition of the patient, who is re-
markabe for qualities still more interesting.
She writes to her friends and schoomates
warm and interesting letters, but she does this
with her left hand. Grasping the pen with
the foreingers-not using the thumb-she
places the little finger parallel with the slate
or paper, and, usually in beautiful Italian
back hand conveys what she has to commu-
nicate. While wiring she does not use her
eyes. The lids are closed.
How she reads is another marvel When
book is given to her she holds it, but It is
kept closed, and she soon becomes entirely
cognzant of its contents. Thus it is with let
ters. She reads them entirely by caryoy-
ancc, and settles that disputed problem beyond
any doubt. 1t will be naturally asked if she
co,, -. II.
perccivcs what is near her? This question is
difficult one to settle, although the facts seem
to establish the negative. Recently a very
venerable physician, prompted by curiosity,
called to see her. On patron:sing her with,
ma0y>kind words, and calling her his * dear
child 10 ingratiate himself more readily he
caused her considerable annoyance. After
ward, however, he quietly sat at a distance to
observe her, 1t is supposed that she thought
he had gone, for, calling for her slate, she in
umated IN words and otherwise the peculiar
manners of the doctor.
Her cmp1oyments are numerous, but those
the results of which are the most wonder
ful-are her paper cuttings. her ep,broideres
and crochet work in colors. We have said
that she can use the thumb and forefnger of
her right hand. These hold the scissors when
she cuts paper. Meanwhile the left hand is
behind hcr head during the performance of the
task. In the same way, the left hand always
at the back Of the head she pursues her en-
brodery and crochet work in various colors.
precisely as she might do if she had the use
OF both hands 1t is quite evident that she
perceives everything that is near
her but beyond this, probably, her power
does not extend, Still she is not deprived Of
occupation any more than a lady who has her
eyes.
Tetanlls is one Of her diseases All the
symptoms Of lockjaw are hers, and she is also )
Mt times troubled with hysteria and catalepsy, :
but there is not science enough in the medical ,
faculty to solve the problem and produce a :
cure. It's possible that under some condi- .,
tons she might, by virtue Of her cairvoyant ,,
power, prepare the way to her own restora- :
ton, Hitherto the family have guarded the .
invalid rom intrusion and experiment, and :
though they are willing that men of science :
may profit by observation in her case, they are y
very properly unwilling to subject her to tr- !,
MS which may as we'll be avoided Recently :.
she has received some nourishn1pnt hnt tha ,