The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-28

upon the following plan. I directed
her night dress to be sewed up at the
foot, so that it formed a large bag. and
then | had the sleeves heightened so
much that each sleeve, after going
round the body, reached the front, where
1t met the other sleeve and was securely
fastened to it. The whole dress was
loose ; but the long sleeve prevented the
hands from being used to get rid of the
dress, while, from the end being sewed
up, the feet could uot be used in pro-
gression. At the same time the dress
freely permitted the sleeper to 1oll
about from side to side in her slumber;
and thus it differed from the hideous
stralght-waistcOat then in vogue. Night
came and our charge retired to bed in
her rnew-fangled night dress. with which
she was amused. The usual hour for
the night-walk came. Her attendants
were enjoined not to stir. She raised
herself as usual in the sitting posture.
then stood upright, and commenced to
walk. The second step was a trip. for
the foot behind held the bottom of the
bag, in which she stood. She stumbled
fell forward, and awOke, and was put
back into bed, and soon fell asleep.
Next morning there was no bad cOnse-
quence except that her face was slight
ly bruised by the fall. l recommended
continuance of the sleeping chemise
for short time as a caUtiOnary measure.
And now came curious change in the
phases of the affiiction. She would rise
from bed each night. but made no fur
ther attempt to walk as before. She
would stand erect, and keeping the
knees perfectly rigid, spring straight
upward from the floor, and thus dance
about the room in what was years after
ward known as popular music hall
dance under the name of the Perfect
Cure. - This she would continue until
thoroughly fatigued, and then retire
quietly to bed and to sleep. l am glad
to add the case did end in perfect cure.
This strange state is generally called
Somnambulism. 1t is really alternating
identity i'll which the ordinary state of
mind Is suspended, and another identity
I do not know what else to call it
takes possession of the individual, and
like warp and weft aiternates without
mixing, the warp presenting continuity
at one time, and the weft the same at
another. One of these alterations
occurs most often in sleep, when the or
dinary mental power IS no longer gov
erning, and hence the attack is called
sOmnambulism. The sOmnambulist will
weave the sOmnambulism of one night
with that of the preceding into a con-
tlnuous wrap or weft, and so with the
ordinary mental power; and thus the
two Identities alternate but do not mix.
n young lady under my observation
exhibited an instance of this. For some
time SOmnambulist, the alternating
identity at length became strong enongh
to intrude upon her waking hours. Her
ordinary perceptive and voluntary pow
ers would be suddenly arrested during
the day, and whether at music or work
no matter how emplOyed-the Interrupt
tion was sudden and instantaneous. If
at the piano or harp, voluntary move
ment ceased at the moment if walking
across the floor. she remained in the po-
sitiOn in which she was when it occur
red, and remained for a longer or short
er time. She would sit at dinner aD-
parently as cheerful and as collected as
any one at the table. At the time Of
which l speak it was customary for
guests to take wine with one another
a gentlemen would ask her to take wine
She bowed her head as usual; and in
raising the glass to her mouth there
suddenly passed over her face and figure
a slight but indescribable shudder. She
Immediately lost all knowledge of those
about her. and would address them with
names quite foreign to them. This
state would continue for two days, I'M
til at dinner on the third day she would
turn to her relative, and say, in her na-
tural tone, did you ask me to take
wine - Her natural state then return
ed; but those alterations became more
frequent and more painful, and at length
the unfortunate girl was deprived of the
society of ali but her nearest relatives.