Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-23

/, EHseI OF Physical Iitiurses.
Z From the New York Fverlnr Gazette, Feb.5l
T In the city OF BrGok IN has long re-
E sided highly respeetat lie fauHIlyi well
{ known for their social position, which, If
{ it is not one Of wealth, is that OF com
: petence. --, daughter Of widowed
mother, a young lady whose amiaoie
] qualities have always endeared her 10
her companions and friends, and now,
! at the age of twenty, she has become
! one of the most remarkable inva-
{ lids that have excited the medical
faculty About year ago, -- was
! throsn from a horse, and for sometime
J suffered severely from the injuries thus
received. Her case, however, at that
! time, called for no more than the ordi--
nary attention due to one whose nervous
, and ph hysical system had become shocked
by a sudden and unexpected fall Sub
sequently another Injury was sustained
by the unfortunate young LADY, whose
case is now about to command the Gtten-
ton of the entire world of physical anu
men tal science.
The second injury received by the
yoHng lady was caused by having her
!, skirt eaught by street car, through
which misfortune she was dragged con-
|, siderable distance The nature OF the
injuries received has never been fully de-
terrnined, but it Is ccnjectured that some
injury was sustained at the base of the
, brain, or TO the spinal column. The pa
tent was removed 70 her bed, where she
has remained now about twelve months,
undoubtedly a great sufferer, but yet
losing nothing Of her youthful color and
beauty.
HER APPEARANCE.
right hand rests under the right ear.
The fore-finger and thumb of this hand
can be moved at viii. 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 emplOyments Of
the invalid. Her lower limbs are seri- |
ously intertwisted. The eyes are closed |
and the teeth firmly set, so that food or |
drink cannot be conveyed TO the palate. /
The face Of the body has all the appear !
ance of complete health, and rather .
7 increases in beauty, notwithstanding the 4
[ very remarks bic disease, or combination 1
of diseases which afilict the patient.
The other phenomenaa are still more .
remarkable, since they show that the I
mind, though deprived of the ordinary .
senses, is just as active, the feelings just /
as fresh, warm and playful as when the
invalid was in the enjoyment Of perfect .
health Though without the use Of her
mouth, eyes or teeth-though she neither
eats nor drinks, nor sleeps for weeks to-
gether, yet she lives cheerful and COM
I paratively happy.
HOW SIZE LIVES
! is the problem for science to solve. For
/ four months preceding last September
she has Bot tasted food of any kind. and
| had not slept, Since then experiments
/ have been made to feed her, as she has
conveyed message occasionally in these
/ words: 81 feel buBgry." Food, how
ever, when forced upon her, seems TO
/ produce frances and eatalepsy, and for
twenty days together she has remained
in a trance.
Occasionally the patient is affected by
spasGls. At these times the right hand
is thrown rigidly out, the leg unwinds,
and convulsiOn takes place out soon
the limbs fly back, like springs, to their
wOnted places, and the mind Of the suf-
ferer becomes cheerful again. In periods
of eatalepsy other phenomena present
themselves. Among these is the general
rigidity Of the body, that is like marble,
ard she may then be placed upon the
extremity of the toes and remain there
immovable. These, however, are the
exceptions to the general condition of
the patient, who is remarkable for quali-
ties still more interesting.
She writes to her friends and school {
mates warm and affectionate letters, but
size does this with her left hand. Grasp
ing the pen with tire fprefBgers-nOt
using the thumt-she places the little
finger parallel with the slate or paper,
and, usually in a beautiful Italian back
hand, conveys what she has to cOmmu-
uicate. While writing she does not use
her eyes. The lids are closed.
How SHE READS
is~another marvel. When q book is
given to her she holds it, but it is kept
closed, and she soon becomes entirely
cognizant of its contents. Thus it is
with letters. She reads them entirely
by clairvOyancc, ard settles that dis
putad problem beyond any doubt. 1t
viii be naturally asked il she can see
everything in them, since she thus per-
eeivk what is near her? This question
is difficult one TO settle, although
the facts seem 10 establish the mega
ative. Recently a very venerable ply
sician, prompted by curiosity, called to
see her. On patroniziDg her with many
kind words, and calling her his dear
child,n TO iugratiate himself more read
lily, he caused her considerable annoy
ance. AtterWsrd, however, be quietly
sat at q distance TO observe her. 1t Is
for, calling for her slate, she initiated in
words and otherwise the peculiar man
ners Of the doctor.
HER EitPLOYMENTS
are numerous, but thlse-the results Of
which are the most wOnderful-are her
paper cuttings, her embroideries and
crochet work in cOlors. We have said
that She canuse the thumb and forefnger |
Of her right hsnd. These hold the scissors
when she cuts paper. Meanwhile the left
hand is behind Ier head during the per
formance of the task. In the same way,
the left hand always at the back of
the head she pursUes her embroidery
and crochet work in various colors, pre-
cisely as she might do il she had the use
of both hands. 1t is quite evident that
she clairvOyanlly perceIyes everything ,
that is near her; hut beyond this, pro-
baby, her power does not extend. Still !
she is not deprived Of occupation any
more than a lacy who has her eyes.
HER DISEASES.
TeianUs is one Of her diseases. All
the symptoms Of lockiaw are hers, and
she is also st times troubled with hysteria !
and catalepsy, but there is not science !
enough in the medical faculty to solve
the problem and produce a care. 1t is {
possible that under some conditions she
might, by virtue of her cairvoyant
power, prepare tie way 20 her
own restoration. Hitherto the family
have guarded the invalid from in
trusion and experiment, and though
they are willing that men Of science may (
profit by observation in her case they
are very properly unwilling TO subject
her to trials which may as we'll be 4
avoided Recently she has received
some nourishment, hut the physicians
declare it cannot be called dsuch, although
as the attempt has Jeen made, We sJale
the fact to prevent any Charge Of over
drawing this pietnre Qf human suffering
The whole subject is important, and
when the lncreuuIOus nave become con-
WINGED that there Is woman living in
the metropolitan circuit who has existed
for four months without moving, sleep
ing, eating or drinking. we may add fur
ther facts OF interest 70 aid the saAse of
science.
We viii simply add, in closing, that
the trdnee into which the patient fell
commenced at Christmas aud continued
for twenty days. During the time she
was, to all appearance, dead but she
came to herself someW hst iwproTed, So
far aS can be judged. Tile eminent
physician in attendance on her says that
she may now be considered as receiving
some food, although il is his opinion that
for nine moEtAs she las SSisied totally
without nourishment. In due time he
will probably give a full report of the
case, upon which at present he has no {
opinion to offer,
THE New York .SaPdag Mercury is re-
sponsible for thisi
on BENJAMIN p. BtfTLER.
Here lies great hero who shirked bloody
strife
He passed in a bottle some years Of his life,
But, e'er he was bottled, much plunder he
Which, in spite Of renonstranoe, he always re-
tanned
TIL Il grew % a maxim bey cnd ali debala
That no sutIer eer took such good care 81 the
plate,
And when vessels Of silver were missing,
e. Alackii
sighed tie on nrrs, " they're hidden in Benja-
Minis sack
Clasm 81 tb4 Ro,h,ehtIas.