River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-09-12
Man and wife sIr.cken Dumb.


A. case so peculiar and mysteaiuus in
it's nature as to set science at fault has
just tctn brought to the notice of the
medical taiernity of this city. Ii is a
case Of a man and a W. man 10 apparent
/ ly perfect health beinE suddenly and
without previous Warming visited with
1 the terrible affection o. oss of speech,
and all tlfe resources OF medical science
proving rsiavaiing 10 even find nut the
cause al the deprivation. The victims of
! tins new and strange calamity are Mr..
J Peter Lavelle and hia wife. The proprie.
| tors of It restaurant at No l6S Cep' raj
/ avenue. Mr. Lavelle is an Irishm>o who
has only l'een about four noDs,,s m this
country ahd has lately Purchased the
business lie is now 10 hi. wifi, and
brother assist him. apia il was after a bstd
DAY WORK, on Friday last, that Mrs, La.
Neite NSs stIlcgen in such an unfortunate
niaaneF' @Pe retired h. rest ON that even
ing IN a. aren't good health. but on
aWaEing Saturday morning she found her
s>b stricken dumb aud unable 10 utter a
sound. sne aroused her husband, who
| soon dlscGgered her condition, and hastily
! summoned physician, who, on arrival,
found himself unable to 10 any thing for
her relief.
Several other physicians Bere then
called in. among them Dts. Scofeld,
FairchicifE Emery and Other medical
men OF Prominence, but all aiike were
unable 70 Geiirmina nature az The dis
ease. Mrs. Lavelle seemed 10 suffer 10
pain ia anE portion OF her body. and was
able 10 Move around, but remained
speeches., her tongue being covered
with chick, black c0ating, and her eyes
swollen and infamed. After being tfeat-
cd fer a.cosple OF days in the CITY, She
was removed for the benefit Of pursr air
to her sisters home IL Covinptoa. where
she IS pow an az extremely feeble cOndi-
ton, as lie csenaot take any food. her
only sastaAce being a little milk. which
she swallows with extreme diff uty.
Strange 80 say, Mr. Layelie himself
was selzed with the same mysterious
complnia- on Monday afternoon in as
sudden ananner. 3e bad been writing
d letter - friend, telling him Of tho
strange happening 10 bis wiie; aud feel
ing drsw@y sat down IN chair outside
tue door, where he soon fell into aoze.
bu. on 2W&.ing. less than five minutes
afierwal, ": also found himself unable
to artic1latg a word. He soon conveyed
infornlatian;of his condition 10 his broth
or, and mf.dical attendance was sum
moned, bpt,s as in the case q bis wife. II
pr wed ot "a avail. lie Was also r,lnoy
"a 10 MS wife s sister, house, in Covipx-
ton, tut tiv yesterday afternoon he had
almost eRiif@ly reccvcrd his SPEECH and
was BIZ 20 Attend to his busiDt rs.
An Eaq1tfsr reporter saw him yesfcr-
day. ana ob.sined the ali We facts from
him. brt heaould give no explanation of
The case lie had never been troubled
similarly ret bad his wife. II ongh the
lat'er Fad s0ff. red from. some kiud #
paTaigtic esrske couple Of we ks before.
Ills ZEE bags willie spec Cnit IS he de-
;cribed ~ something horrible. A heavy
NC ,ght appenTed 10 lie on his chest, and
AL the blood in his BODY seemed 10 be
-uBni1g ie lis head, until his y Is would
bulge ont ana he would leel as if the
,ould nQt c..afjnue much longer, without
breaking. When lac would
ie dowr,a feeling Of oppression would feel
IS if unIssS he up got Ee would sutfocste.
From tt!e signs made by his wife since
Ter sifli@tion he immagines ste suffers ia
simila2 BsA0ner.
TakeJi aitiaeiher, the case il one of
peculiar iaferesr and vii! afford good
cope tor irfe siigation at The hands Of
he medical fraternity OF the eity.--CGs-
inspast Enquirer.