Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-05-25
4 MODERN MIRACLE.
TIE BIcs,:ing Girl of Hainault
From the New York Times

A new wonder has turned up in
Belgium. But a little while ago we
recorded the marvellous exploits of a
fasting girl in Wales. Still later, ma
tional price was yra,ided by the al
vent of wondrous prophecies in
Louisville. The young lady whose
fame now resounds from Hainault,
however, is "a more astounding per
son than either. In fact, no more
inexplcable case than this OF Louise
Laceau's has probably ever been
known. Her peculiar accomplish
ment is not 10 fast, or to prophesy,
but to bleed. This she does in the
most profl,se and unprovoked manner,
and every effort to find out how she
does il has hitherto failed. The in
vestigation has not been confined TO
the ignorant or superStitiouS. II is
asserted that the ahlest Flemish ply,
sicians have been baflled in their at,
tempts to discover the cause of the
young woman's sanguinary proceed
ings and certainly the account Of
Dr.. Day, just pnblished in Macmiil
ian's Magaeina, may we'll staggcr the
me st incrcdulous.
The published history of Lonise
Lateau offers the customary attesta
tious of the purity and simplicity of
her character. 1t is characteristic of
these cases that public confidence is
always bespoken, and doubt dlsarm-
cd, by elaborate. assurances of the
rectitude aud euilelessness Of the new
wonder. Hence we are not surprised
at being told that for the first seven
teen years of her life Louise was m
uncommonly good little girl, aud no
Que ever knew her to tib, pilfer, or
even to flrt. Ia 1868. @she having
for short time been out to service,
she fell into i'll health. For mouth
she seemed on the verge of the grave.
At this junctnre began her ex'raor-
dinary performances. One Friday
morning a slender rivulet of blood
began to trickle from her left side
After a while it ceased, bnt on the
next Friday blood oozed from the up
per surface of her feet. On the third
Friday it came simultaneously from
side, feet, and hands. A few months
after blood came also from her heal ;
and now, by the latest accounts, "she
presents every Friday--and on Fri,
DAYS only--an awful sort Of image OF
{the hloedin9 form Of Christ on the
Cross" Catel"ptlc symptoms affom-
pany this exhibition The young wo'
man goes at eight o'clock IN the horI.
ing into species OF trance. In TINS
she says She bcholdS in VISION. tht
scene of the passion. Tears ron down
her checks, but now aud then she
smiles in ecstacy. She is inScnSlblr
To all outward sights or sounds, aud
remains nnmoved bycren very strong
electric shocks. Until III the day
she remains lrcoma, blood appearing
constantlys AZ described. Size then
leaps up with a bound, falls into a.
cold sweat, has rattle IN her throat
and an imperccptlbie pulse, and seem
on the point of death. Nevertheless,
she RECEIVERS III about, ,tiiteen minutes
and then remains in her nsual state
uulll the following Ffldav.
! When news began to spread OF TINS
strshge affair, caowds OF people nat
nrally began to flock to witness tt
The Roman Catholic clergy OF The
neighborhoad, at once, we are aSsHfed
called in able physicians. One of
these, D.. Lefeborc, has given great
atte"iipn to the case, and has printed
a monograph Of il. This gentleman
has been for two years at the head at
/ the medical staff, Of two lunat'c asy'
i lnias, and is likewise Professor IN
Louvian University. Ills repot isl
examined at length by DR., Day, and
the latter received a note from DR..
Lcfcbore, stating that, as lately rs the
middle Of January, the condition of
/ Louise Lateau remained unchanged.
His experiments have been numerous
and very Interesting. He scrutnlzed
carefully the places from which the
blood exudcd with microscope, aud
| fund that on those places the epi.
dermis is very thin, so that the true
skin can be seen through it. When
the bleeding is going to begin, liz.