The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-12-21
A Strange Case or Suspended Anina.
tf0n or Decomposition.

The case OF the young lady, Miss Laura
Rothsfeld, whose death was arnounced
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 q coffin for several
hours, she exhibited symptoms of life
and the body was Immediately removed
and placed upon sofa in front of o fire
where 1t has been ever since. The com.
pleHlnn remains the same as in life. The
features are unchanged, and she looks
like one in peaceful slumber.
Miss Rothsfeld had lust turned he,
seventeenth year, and at times durino
her whole life has suffered from epilepsv
an af1iction that has been hereditary In
her fg.nily. She has always been deli.
cate, never enjoying good health. and
attacks of epilepsy have been more tre.
quent during the past few years and moro
| severe than at any other time. Last Sat
urday she complained of having q head.
| ache, and en- Sunday her suse?;ns zas
! such as to confne her to her bed. and
she grew worse, and Monday afternoon
| was attacked with cramps, and DR.. Mason
| was sent for. Every thing possible was
done for her relief, but without avail
Once during the evening she spoke to her
mother, but from that time remained un.
conscious until abaut o'clock iiredns5.
| day, when she seemed to pass away as
quietly rs 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 :nornlrg. when her family be-
came satisfied that she was dead, and ar.
raDgmants we're made for the funeral.
In preparing the body for interment it
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 O white
ehroud it was placed in Il coffin about 9
o'clock, Thursdcv morning. About noon
u 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 70 the coffin the mouth had
closed, but otherwise there was no indi-
cation that life still remained. Rev. DR..
Weygo!d called nc the house about two
O'clock. and upon his suggestion the body
was removed from tho coffin and PLACED
on sofa near the fire. This was Thurs.
day afternoon, aud 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 at
the house last evening. The body was
lying on the sofa dressed in the STROUD,
covered with quilt. and looked like one
in o peaceful slumber. The body was
stif and cold, except the feet aud the
fingers, aud the eays. The fingers and
ears were as pliable 50 In life, and not lev
like the rest of the body. The blush
color about the breast and face mentioned
above had passed away, and the com
piexi1I changed to more natural color.
!! ThemotheP stated that several times the
mouth haa 0Ponedd sufficiently &c s.::a==
the teeth, but IL was closed and the lips
firmly set last night There we're no
other signs of.life.
"A number of physicians called at the
house, yesterday, and were Of the opin-
ion that the girl vas dead. but were j;az-
zled as to the changes said TO have taken
place. The mother. however, thinks that
life still exists, and says that she will not
permit the body 10 bs buried unless de-
composition sets in. Of which there 10 not
the least Indication as present, aithongh,
the body has lain by a Ere for two days.
II Is, indeed. a arrange case. ''.s
AS u strange coincidence, it aiay be
stated tlass the grandmother of Miss
99lhsled Sf9 when when ss1 seventeen years of age,
body was stiff and cold as in this case.
She af!erward recovered. lived toibe SOW
enty years old, and was the mother of
sixteen chiettea! 4 LouismM CONNER.
cidi.
- Children must have love inside the
house and fresh air, and good play and
some good companionship outside--oth-