Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-08-14
CATALEPSY.


A remarkable case of catalepsy has
lately occurred in one of the principal
hospitals of Paris. Professional men
found it rare subject for attention and
study. The closest examination was al
lowed, and every witness was afforded an
opportunity to apply his own means of
verifcation, The phenomenon is not
one of those which are often shroudedin in
the clouds of the supernatural, but
simply pathological fact of purely
scientific interest.
A female patient, Marie Lecomte, was
admitted to the hospital to be treated
surgically by DIR. Despres. Soon aftel
admission she was taken with dysmen
orrhea and obstinate vomiting. Other
distressing symptoms intervened, and
on the 9TH of April she fell into state
of lethargy. Her respiration became al
most imperceptible, her lips were rosy,
her complexion natural, her pulse nor
NAL, and when the fingers were pressed
on the glottis, q most sensitive spot,
there was not the slightest movement OF
coughing.
On the 9th of April all the muscles of
the patient were hard and stiff. 1t was
rigor mortus, minus death, for the pulse
was seventy and the temperature of the
body at thirty eight degrees centigrade.
There was then catalepsy and lethargy.
This condition lasted six days, during
which the patient remained in state Of
apparent death, and did not take any
food whatever. The muscles were rigid,
limbs stretched and the arms drawn close
to the body. The position of a hmt
could be changed by force only. The
hands and fingers would preserve fol
hours the strangest postures, then, all al
once, snap back into the position from
which they had been disturbed and re
sumo their former tension.
The patient was freely viewed at every
hour OF the day and night and her con
dition was always the same. Some at
tempts to awake her failed, and the at
tending ply icians were all convinced
that the cessation of reflex movement
was complete aud unmistakable.
On the seventh day the patient NUT
tered few words and asked for drink
She took little coffee and beef tea
but vomited part of it few hours later
On the eighth day she relapsed int
the cataleptic state and remained in
forty hours.
On the twelfth day there was anothe
incomplete return to active life. Th
patient would call some inmates, medics
attendants and the nurses, without re
cognizing them or answering the ques
tions she was asked.
On the thirteenth day there was al
other relapse; catalepsy and letharg
: lasting for sixteen hours.
On the fourteenth day incomplete col
sciousness, followed by an attack {
eight hours catalepsy.
: In the intervals of the crisis the pi
tient drank beef tea and coffee. Sh
grew visibly thin, and her faint pulse {
100 pointed to the customary effects {
insufficient nutrition.
From that time the fits of cataleps
l ceased. The patient remained in stat
l of half consciousness. She could NJ
recognize anybody, but was, neverth
3 | Lou, ol1o l. 4o1ro
On the seventeenth day new compl
cation set in. The patient complaine
of loss of sight; she thought she WI
blind, and would rub her eyes with sue
paroxysms of rage that it became nece
sary to tie her hands.
) On the eighteenth day she was T.
; stored to sight, recognized some of IL
attendants and succeeded in taking foe
! ! regularly.
On the twenty-ffth day there was 1
= more vomiting; signs of returning healt
were manifest and the patient con
: planned only of great sensation {
: fatigue in her limbs.
On the thirtieth day she was able
get up, and since the 9th of May she hi
. been entirely recovered.
This curious case belongs to class
0 nervous diseases characteristic of hyster
: cal temperaments. Marie Lecomte is
founding. She is twenty-four yea
old she has never left the asylum NJ
u the farm where she had found stu
; ton.
= Simple and good, this poor girl hf
= neither exaggerated religious ideas NJ
i loose morals. Before and after her a
, tack, during the state of trance al
:. somnambulism which followed the s
days of catalepsy, she held no connectt
> conversation, said no prayer, nor on,
pronounced the name of God but sl
: asked for water or ice, called the inmat
: who were best known to her--in shol
y y spoke according to her tastes and habit
i The case, which will be published wi
full details, becomes scientific fact, Il
authenticity of which is better esta
lished than that of all similar facts
b the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteen
= centuries. In those times the hysteric
b cataleptics or religious insane were co
J. sidered Gods elect. and ecstatic or sol
@ nambulistic cataleptics, who did n
speak of God, used to be exercised al
: sometimes burned.