The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
Phy.lenI rhenomenn.

Ia NrRrous SYSTEM DEEANoED-sTGHT HEAR
tNb -PEEcH. AND CONSCIOUSNESS LOST AND
E.7roGLD-LIFE WITHOUT NoUBIsHMKNT.
Atthe age Of fourteen years Mary ]. Fancher
v1s s'nt 10 the Brooklyn Heights Seminary. in
Montague street. aud there she remained for
ar y'ars. She had not vigorous health. yet
ere faithful to oyory duty, and was a close
f'u l.u, One Of her instructors says that rare
u has b seen brighter or moro interesting
ni-- Hrr father had means TO crafty her
S1r'''i' inclnations. She obtained an excel
lent "l alton. nnd at the age OF eighteen yenrs
" r"aiy 70 graduate. About that time in n
t-rs'1ek ride she foil and several OF her ribs
Wy broken. From tho injury she quickly
r"oyr"i only 10 meet with another and a
+ f- .'ri)us accident. As she was aightng
!! 20 horse car the conductor. thinking that
si4 had stepped to the ground. rang the signal
= ''U' and turning from her. walked to the
i'on' y the car Miss Fancher's dress caught
ea 'l' stop. and the starting OF the vehicle
tiaT Ter with violence 10 the pavement. She
Fs' ragged long distance before her situa-
t'i vas perceived. Her spine was seriously
iliwfi ami her body and head frightfully
NI.'ei In short time she went into con
,''ona. She WAS carried to the residence OF
H'f a1nt. Mrs. Crosby. in Downing street and
pV nl' the bed whence she has never been re-
Il''l since. save for a few minutes at time
4.is was early in 1865. Very soon after the
uHlrni She underwent most astonishing phys
"a ~ inges Her nervous system was un-
V'"rolia9le whenever she was In any manner
ehN while she wns absolutely paralyzed at
o'"F Hms. In succession she was bereft OF
ps'h speech. and hearing. From violent
so''m- she drited into trancG like state.
.'u winch II required the unremittng efforts
pny'iclans and friends to arouse her. At
'Apraiion OF twonty days her faculties
49, a' restored. For half an hour she saw
l''.9d' and listened. Then these three
49, l'sericd her again, and within ten more
' ner fingers became clenched her jaws
=. n'r limbs twisted. spasms were there
S"'' w2Fo frequent and violent.
LIFE WITHOUT FOOD.
4'' lays slipped away into weeks before che
sa''e 70 keep any food on her stomach. and
~" Just short Of two months that she was
NN nourlshment. Then very light food
0l' DAY given her with seemingly bene-
p., results, She has eaten altogether since
n,' iai nearly thirteen years ago-not 80
I.,i', 'ool In the aggregate as an ordinarily
tours ''' "N0 "ou'u cat III ior'''eigh'
4, 'uIge months and half after the accident
wont into rigid trance for twenty one
n.,s' ana then passed into relaxed trance
,a. ,a''ed for three days. Her throat became
.'a'l9l' .',. and she could neither swallow nor
=, W. sound Her right arm doubled up back
S.i, "'t mead and became fixed there with the
ws'tUI o1 death. A year lator this condition
r S 'olowed by absolute rigldity OF body. with
nv opuon OF the left arm and hand. which
~u7 able to use. This latter condition lasted
un,.,n,e years, In all Of which time she was con-
.aY oos.9IY urlitlng into and out OF frances. She
Sauued TO be blind. the pupils OF the eyes
Jug rolled upward. and the whites only yisl-
Nueh the lids were parted for examination
80 ush'ly indeed were the lids sealed. and
~ No. u'nieulty woro they opened. She had the
Nm oI speech. however. almost all Of the
p T5. Sl'uouEh 1t left her at intervals.
a. years ago the riRidity OF her body re-
M auu sight and hearing were restored
a. oi everything that had happened in
Ts,one n,ne years disappeared. She could not
MAJ S,SS1@9 friends whose acquaintance had been
h y sy,,, 'u tno' period Her thoughts went back
'u'S 'aat were happening when she SANK