The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-07-15

Thsanssr Atsr1husss - : Yssns Cs.s-
London t0ntarioi Advertiser, June 10th.
!. About two years since 1 daughter Or Mr..
Richard Clare, Caroline by name, and then
II years q age, living on lot No. Is, on the
second concession Of Rodney, was taken iii.
Her diseaoe could not be correctly diagnosed, |
and had many peculiar features. Her appe-
lite fell of; and she lost flesh till from q
strapping girlsof $50 pounds weight she bare
y weighed 81 pounds. There did not seem
to be any organic complaint. The bodily |
functions were not impaired, and although |
she ate less than formerly, the falling Of IN
this respect was not such as in itself weuld |
alarm her friends After the lapse of a few
month"; she took to her bed. Then it was
that q change occurred in her mental condi-
ton. Formerly she was noted rather for
lack Of conversational powers, but now fits
or spasms would come over her, on the pass
ing away Of which her eyes would become
set and glazed, her body almost rigid, and
while in that state she would discourse elo-
quently, and give vivid descriptions Of far off
scenes, far exceeding in their beauty any
thing which she had ever seen or presumably
ever read OF. On the passing away Of this
state she exhibited a great degree Of lassitude
indisposition to move, and was taciturn
and surly in reply to any questions. This
continued until about a month since, when
an extraordinary change occurred. The
girl, although still not gaining flesh, appear
ed to rally. She became light-hearted and
gay and her friends anticipated for her an
early release from the room to which she
had been confined SO long. Their expecta-
tions were not in vain, for she is now about
the house apparently as well bodily as ever.
But another remarkable development has
taken place. She is constantly giving off
electrical charges, and seems to be a perfect
battery. A person, unless possessed of the
very strongest nerves, cannot shake hands
with her, nor can any one place his hand IN
a pail OF water with hers. By joining hands
she can send a sharp shock through Is or 20
people i'll a room, and she possesses all the
attraction of a magnet, If she attempts to
pick up a knife, the blade will jump into her
hand, and a paper Of needles will hang sus-
pended from one of her fingers. So strongly
developed is this electrical power, that she
cannot release from hel touch any article of
steel which she may have taken up. The
only method yet found is for a second party
to take hole of the article and pull, while the
girl strokes her own arm vigorously from the
wrist upward. On her entering a room a
perceptible influence seizes hold of all others,
and while some are affected to sleepiness.
others are Ill and fidgety till they leave and
even for a considerable time afterward, A
sleeping baby will wake up with a start at
her approach, but with a stroke of her hand
she can at once coax it to slumber again.
Animals are also subject to her influence, and
a pet dog of the household will be for hours
at her feet as motionless as in death. A Gu
rious part Of the phenomena is the fact that
the electricity can be impaired by her to any
article with which she habitually comes in
contact. The other day a younger sister,
while doing the house-work took up a pair
OF corsets belonging to Caroline, and OH her
hand touching the steel she was compelled to
drop them with a loud cry and with an ex-
clamation, to the effect that she had run a
needle into her finger. Wooden spoons have
had to be made for her, as she cannot touch
metal. Altogether the case is a most re-
markable one, and attracts scores of visitors
to the house of Mr.. Clare. Medical men are
especially interesting themselves, and it has
been stated that DR.. Tye, of Thamesville,
will read a paper on the subject at the meet
ing of the Provincial Medical Association
which is to be held in London in the course
OF this Summer. Mr.. Clare is the father of
a family of seven children, non of whom
except Caroline sh,u onv ah"n-m.l nnali-