, 1876-05-13
TONeuELESS AND TGLRaTIVs.
A w.u,an coughs up Her Tongue.

A Woman Cougfns zap Her Tongue.
Through DIR. d. R. Jennings, 0: Cleaye-
land, Ohio, who has been attending some of
the annual ceremonies Of the high degree
MssOns in Cincinnati during the pas. week,
we have learned of q tongueless woman living
in Northern Ohio, whose history furnishes
an unparalleled feature in medical annals.
Her name is Mrs. Mary c. Burnham, wife
of Daniel Burnham, and her age is upwards
Of fifty. Her home and postofiice address is
Rootstown, Portage county, Ohiu, only forty
miles from Cleveland. For years she has
been troubled with virulent catarrh. The
disease seemed to have penetrated the whole
system. By it her tongue became partially
paralyzed, so far as using of it Was concern
ed, though in it she still retained the sense
of taste, and that to an acute degree About
this time her teeth became utterly decsyed,
and her case then came under Dr. Jenning $
professional observation. She was furnished
with two sets Of artificial teeth, upper and
lower, and very soon after complained of
their interfering with her tongue. The
trouble, however, was not in the teeth, as
Mr.. Burnhsm was soon convinced. 1t Was
in her tongue, and was remedied as soon as
an liberation could be relieved which had
eliminated in the roots of the tongue
At this time, although her tongue was
absolutely paralyzed and capable of being
moved only when manipulated. Mrs. Burn
ham was conversing, though of course, not
articulating with very great accuracy. Her
friends had no difficulty in understanding Z
her, and strangers with eIo-e attention, could
distinguish ber pronunciation. The ulcern-
ton at the root of the tongue, though pOssi-
bly, little better, while Mrs. Burnham xas
sitting with her family at the breakfast ta-
bic, an atom Of food dropped into her laryDx.
Choking was the immediate result of course,
and violent coughing, too, when suddenly
she was stupefied with horror at seeing her
lOuSu ut, INC IOOt du1 Cut VI utA
mouth and on her hand, which was ihen ly-
ins on :he table. 1t bad loOsened and given
away at the very roots. leaving the two bony
prJugs which form the framework Of the
tongue absolutely bare The only heinor-
rhase which followed was slight, and that
was from the tearing out of the Iienum, the
thin skin which may be telt immediately un-
der the tongue. There was no effort made
TO put back the wagging member 1t had
been cumbersome along time, anyway, and
it is hoped for the good it had done, Mrs.
Buruham gave it a decent burial.
And now comes the m"st wonderful part
Of The whole history. With natural teeth
ali gone and with tongue completely uprUot-
ed, Mrs BuTnham could talk with ease.
Her words-nsuy of them, 70 be sure were
clipped, but ye, she talked better than many
persons with d clipped palate The uIcera-
rIon ia the throat immediately healed mp,
and 10 day Mrs. Buruhdm IS in better health
than she has been for years prior to what
many would consider ber terrible accident.
When she eats she masticates with her bead
leaning to the right OF left, though some
times moves the food with her fingers, and
when ready to swallow gives her hesa a
81. .ht toss backward. Her taste remains
perfect, so that the goodies of lip are well
come to her as when her tongue received
them all. Dr. Jennings saw her very recent
ly, surrounded by family of grown up
children, well and happy, and just as caPa-
hle of giving her husband his usual rations
Of Wo.dy precepts aud warning as when the
uDruly member occupied her mouth. Tongue
ls-hinS with her is done, but the vocal u-r
or The Kings English is hot, aud she thus
exploded, 2Hd most suecessful!y-the plea
that the tongue is the seat of talk.-CHei'-
.,xrtg;