The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-12-21
A Strange Case Of Suspended Anima.
tion or Decomposition.

LUG Soo0 va en0 oop 5 Aouy "A'oo A~''1A =
Rothsfeld, whose death vas announced
last Wednesday morning, furnishes some
strange and singular features, which will
give our physicians and scientific men
fresh material for study and reflection.
After having lain in coffin for several
hours, she exhibited symptoms of life,
and the body was Immediately removed
aud placed upon u sofa in front of fire,
where it has been ever since. The COM
plexion remains the same as in life, the
features are unchanged, and she looks
like one in peaceful slumber.
Miss Rothsfeld had just turned her
seventeenth year, and at times during
her whole life has suffered from epilepsy
an afliction that has been hereditary in
her family. She has always been deli.
cate, never enjoying good health, and
attacks of epilepsy have been more fire..
quent during the past few years and more
severe than at any other time. Last Sat.
urday she complained of having head
ache, and on Sunday her suffering was
such as to con6ne her to her bed. and
she grew worse, and Monday afternoon
was attacked with cramps, and DR.. Mason
was sent for. Every thing possible wa:
done for her relief, but without avail
Once during the evening she spoke to her
mother, but from that time remained un.
conscious until about Z o'clock Wednes.
day, when she seemed to pass away as
quietly as one falling into pleasant
slumber. Her pulse continued to beat
though hardly perceptible, until II
o'clock, but finally all signs of life ceased
and the physician pronounced her dead
The body remained warm until some time
after this, and was kept in the bed until
Thursday morning, when her family be.
came satisfied that she was dead, and ar.
fragments were made for the funeral
In preparing the body for interment, il
was noticed that the breast and neck
were of blush color, which extended
along the right side Of the face to the
hair. The face was also very pale. and
those who dressed the body stated that
the cheeks appeared somewhat sunken
After dressing the body in a white
ehroud it was placed in q coffin about :
o'clock, Thursday morning. About noon
number of friends gathered around the
coffin noticed that the complexion had
changed to more natural shade, and
that the mouth had opened The family
were Immediately called, and when they
returned to the coffin the mouth had
closed, but otherwise there was no indi.
cation that life still remained. Rev. DR..
Weygold called at the house about two
O'Clock, and upon his suggestion the body
was removed from the coffin and placed
on a sofa near the fire. This was Thurs.
day afternoon, and the body has remained
there ever since, within few feet of the
fire, without the slightest change taking
place.
A reporter of the Commercial called al
the house last evening. The body was
lying on the sofa dressed in the shroud
covered with Guilt, and looked like one
in peaceful slumber The body was
stiff and cold, except the feet and the
fingers, and the ears. The fingers and
ears were as pliable as in life, and not icy
like the rest of the body. The blush
color about the breast and face mentioned
above had passed away, and the com.
plexion changed to more natural color
The mother stated that several times the
mouth had opened sufficiently to show
the teeth, but it was closed and the lips
firmly set last night. There were nc
other signs fife.
A number of physicians called at the
house, yesterday, and were of the opin.
ion that the girl was dead, but were puz'
zled as to the changes said to have taker
place. The mother, however, thinks thai
life still exists, and says that she will moi
permit the body 10 be buried unless de-
composition sets in. of which there is moi
the least indication at present, although
the body has lain by fire for two days
It is, indeed, strange case.
AS a strange coincidence, it may be
stated that the grandmother of Miss
Rothsfeld, when seventeen years Of age
laid in trance for three days and tht
body was stiff and cold as in this case
She afterward recovered, lived be sew
enty years old. and was the mother o
sixteen child,en.- n.-LouisviM CONNER
ciai.