The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-01-20
Altogether Remarkable somnambulism.

lCol OCpdItmeAG VI Lne michigan OulVeTS-
ity. The event narrated occurred while
he was employed in the University, and
furnishes one of the most remarkable
cases on record
It was my fortune, during a series of
years, to have under direct observation
case of somnambulism, in some respects
more remarkable than any upon record.
The subject was family relative and pri-
vate medical student of my own. ~
The first time he was ever known to
walk in his sleep was in the spring of 1S47,
and the first attempt was an unfortunate
one, as he fell from q stairway unprotected
by balusters, 1njuring himself considera-
bly,, although fracturing no bones. He
awakened by his fall was utterly ignorant
ments afterward ard found nothing I'M
usual about him, but he remarked that he
had not felt quite we'll when he went to
bed. For some months subsequently he
weuld now and then get up, dress himself
and go about the house without any ap-
parent object, and, usually, after awhile
return to his bed voluntarily, awakening
in the morning with not the slightest rec
objection even of dream
My young friend was an enthusiast in
music, and very respectable amateur
About the summer of 1S47, a somewhat
dilapidated lbass-viol, which was kind
OF heirloom in the family, was brought
into the house, and he devoted spare mo-
ments to learning how to play upon it.
Unfortunately, the antiquity of the in
strument had told upon its keys, and un-
less they were wetted at each time of use
it would not remain in tune. He was de-
termined, however, to command it's notes.
and succeeded His somnambulic walks,
thereafter, led him from his chamber to
the parlOr, and to the bass-viol, and the
family would be awakened in the small
hours by the inevitable tuningup pre-
lude, mingled with slipping of the old
keys, and quiet objurgations on his part.
Sometimes the bridge would fall down
when the keys slipped, and sometimes
q string would snap or escape
from the keys; nevertheless he would
persevere, repair damages, tune up, and
then execute all varieties of music of
which the machine was capable, not un-
frequently accompanying it with his voice.
All this would be done in total darkness.
When any one entered the room with
light, he took not the least notice, although
when spoken to he would reply in mono
syllables or with considerable asperity.
His face was unusually flushed, although
sometimes pale-the features immobile
and passive, the eye open, pupil dilated;
the surface glazed, and the lids apparently
motiOnless the extremities warm and
the pulse full, frequent and soft. Very
often the skin would be bathed with free
perspiration. Remarkably sensitive to
tltlllations when awake, there seemed
total absence of reflex movements from
this cause, while in the somnambulistic
state. "5aE '1 10
he L, s. =.
music and musical instruments, his feats
became wonderful. While in attendance
upon the Medical College at Laporte, the
household looked forward with high an
tlclpatlons to the hours when his skillful
touch OF the melodeon would wake them
He had voice of the purest tone and very
considerable compass, in fact, of rare
sweetness. am enabled to say from a
multitude OF observations that he PLAYED
with precision and skill while asleep
that he could not approximate while
awake. Besides this, he would execute
music which he had heard, perhaps but
once, the evening previous or after long
note of which he could recall
in his waking moments His memory
here seemed wonderfully exalted If in
terrupted, he was irritable in the extreme,
but would 60 on with his music exactly
IL.
Whilst attending lectures at Ann Arbor,
where was then featuring on physiology,
I requested his assistance in enlarging
some of the drawings illustrative of mi
mute anatomy and histology, for use in class
demonstrations He entered into the
work with great zeal, and proved very ex-
pert and rapid of execution. One evening,
previous to the day on which was about
TO lecture on the kidney, wished the cuts
in Carpenters Physiology" illustrating
the tubular arrangement, etc, made ready.
He had an engagement for the evening.
but said he would try and prepare them IN
the morning. During the night he rose,
dressed himself, played a few tunes on the
guitar, part of the time singing (and, by
the way, the guitar was about as diiapi-
dated as the bass-viol before noticed, and
he had to knot one or two of the strings
frst), and then arranged the drawing pa
per, prepared his India ink and brushes,
took the parallels and pencils and laid off
the spaces, and worked for half an hour
or more, rapidly and perfectly, nearly
completing the figures on PIP. sos ana 597
of Carpenters Principles, in the edition
of 1858. His were taken from a previous
edition not now in my possession. These
drawings are now in the series used for
illustration in Rush Medical College AL
though we had light in the room while
watching him, he went on with his work
entirely regardless of 1T. Before COM
pleting the work, he went to bed and slept
until the usual hour in the morning.
When at the breakfast he asked if be
had been up in the night, as he had
dreamed that he had. This was the only
time he ever remembered even dreaming
about being up or occupied in ANYTHING.
He had by this time become 50 fully ware
of his habits, that nothing Of the sort as
tonished him. Shortly after this he went
to spend the night with fellow student,
but a little after midnight he rose, dressed
himself, and went cut, followed by the
other gentleman, walked down to the Ex-
change Hotel, where there were humber
of his acquaintanccs and others waiting
for train of cars due at that time Some
one rallied him on his being out so late,
but, being cautioned by his companion,
they did not attempt to awake him, but
watched his movements ON being in
vited, he took glass of ale, and then said
he would only have time to go home and
get his dinner before the afternoon lecture
hour. He walked with his friend to our
door, and was indignant to find it locked.
His roommate "a cousin) admitted him,
and awakened myself and wife. He asked
II Gunner was ready, and seemed aston
lshed that it was not; then said he would
get drink OF water and be off, 'sfor old
D. Zone of the faculty. would be mad if
he was late" told him be had plenty of
time, and he need not be in hurry. He
then walked into the kitchen, drank a
tumblerful of water, and, looking up to
the clock,a ,ough it was totally dark, re-
marked the mme and started for the front
door. then told him that was not feel
ing well, was pretty blue, and wished he
would sit down and play euchre with US.
This seemed to please him, and he took off
his overcoat and said he would as lief play