Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-16
CATALEPTIc PHENOMENA
susan Godsey, the Tennessee ssSieep-
ing Bsauty'' i'm So. Louisa Conn
naissee ofPhysicians to Investigate

Susan Godsey, the Tennessee sssieep-
ing Bsauty'' i'm So. Louisa Conn
mirsee OF Physicians 10 Investigate
her Case. IS - 4,ss,as II,
l. n From the St. Louis Democrat, Oct. 10.
The regular weekly meeting of the st.
Louis Medical Society, was held in hail
No: l, Polytechnic Building, Saturday
night.
DIR. ]. 7. Edwards, of Union City, Ten
nessee, proceeded TO narrate some of the
facts connected with the life of the
wonderful woman known as Z sr
4 r . THE SLEEPING BEAUTY,
who is now in this city. For the benefit
of those of our readers who have never
heard of this extraordinary case, which
has for more than twenty years puzzled
the most eminent physicians of this
country and Europe, we describe the
woman and her condition
Her name is Susan G. Godsey, and she
! is twenty -nine years of age. She was
born in Obion county, Tennessee, just
across the State line, and about six miles
from Hickman, KY. .-ls
bier parents were extremely poor, and
| lived in small log, house containing only
one room.
| Until eight years of age the girl was
strong and healthy, and seemed in nowise
remarkable. At that age, however, she
i was ,.-.-.a g.
| STRICKEN WITH FEVER,
| But attended by an experienced physi-
clan, who soon checked the disease. The
| girl sunk into slumber which lasted
: an unusually long time, and finally awoke
weak, but well To the surprise of the
family and physicians, sheremained awake
but few minutes, when she again went
to sleep. From then until the present
time, tWenty-on years and three months,
she has never been awake more than eight
minutes at a time.
The lethsrgic state invariably lasts a
certain number of hours. She awakens
at six o'clock in the morning, and at
three and nine o'clock each night, never
varying more than one half minute from
the regular time. She takes but very little
nourishment, and that only twice in
twenty-four hours. During the time in
| which she sleeps
| SHE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BREATHE,
And a mirror held against her nostrils re-
mains untarnished. Her breathing, if IN
deed she breathes at all, is not sufficient
to stir the highest down suspended against
her nostrils by a silken thread
When her remarkable condition became
known, physicians fiocked from all parts
of the country to see her. None were
able to satisfactorily account for the phe-
nomenon, although many theories were
| advanced. The true cause has never to
this day been determined, although the
woman continues alternately to sleep and
wake with regularity of clockwork. Two
physicians, Drs. Rhea and Glover, are now
in attendance upon her; and, although
the former has visited her constantly for
sixteen years, he can still form no opinion
regarding the cause. OIL
| She is rather under medium size, and
with the exception that she is sometimes
troubled when awake with neuralgia pains
in her head and neck, and that one arm is
slightly paralyzed, enjoys, as far as she
can enjoy anything, good health.
Her hands are extremely small and deli.
cato, being scarcely larger than child six
| years of age. Another remarkable fea-
ture in the case is that, while her hair has
| grown to great length, her finger nails
have not grown any since she was first
stricken.
| HER APPEARANCE
as before stated, she is slightly under me
dunn height and is of slender but graceful
| figure. Her face is oval and the head
well formed. She has mass of dark
auburn har, well formed forehead, dark
Il hazel b1o l.,
shaped nose and small mouth. Although
her complexion is clear and fine, yet owing
to constant confinement to her bed her
face is 30 white as to be almost ghastly
Far from any thing repugnant il her APP
pearance, even when sleeping, she would
doubtless be considered very pretty girl
by those unacquainted with her condition.
She retains what knowledge she, possessed
at eight years of age, but has not been
awake enough since then to learn any
thing more. She knows her relativ es
and friends, and converses with them in
her conscious moments.
Before falling asleep slight hiccough
or choking sound proceeds apparently
from her throat. She then so quickly be-
comes insenslble that she is sometimes
unable to finish sentence, or even a
word, while talking. When about to
awake the same choking sound is re-
| peated from her throat number of times
/ at regular intervals. When this is heard
eleven times without Intermission her
| body shakes in spasmodic manner and
| she instantly aWakens. Whether asleep
| or awake her hands tremble continually.
She is attended by her mother, now an
aged and feeble woman, her brother, her
niece and two physicians, and is tempo
rarily stopping at the house of Mrs.
Davis, ON Walnut, between Fifth and
| Sixth streetsS
DR., Edwards stated Saturday night, be-
fore the Medical Society, that he had
known the family for a number of years,
and knew that there was no deception or
| humbug. He asked that
A COMMITTEE OF FIVE
Might be appointed from the physicians
present to watch the subject, and see
that the case was just as he represent
| ed it.
On motion of DR.. II. 2. Gill, the Pres
ident appointed the following gentlemen
| as the committee
Drs. Rumbold, Gill, johnson, Edgar
and McPheeters
They visited the girl at ten o'clock yes
terday morning and will remain with her
as long as they may deem it necessary,
be it one or more days. Their report,
which will be handed in at the next meet
ing of the Society, Saturday night, will,