Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-07-04
\ HUMAN ELECTRIC BATTERY.



We have been favored with the de-
tails Of one Of the strauseSt cases oi
which we ever heSrd, and one which Is
sure 10 xcite good deal ut interest
amoNG medical men. The particulars
Of the case are given below:
L seems that about two years since
a daughter Of Mr.. Richard Clare, Caro-.
line by name. and then Il years vi aye,
living III lot No. -, ON the second CON
ceSsion of Rodney, was taken III. Her
disease could not be correctly diagnosed,
and had many peculiar features. Her
appetite fell OH, and she lost flesh Vll
from y Strapping girl oil $50 pounds
weight she barely weighed eighty.seven
pounds. There did not seem To he any
organic complaint. The bodily fuuc,
tlonS were not impaired, and, although
she ate less than formerly. the falling
OIL III this respect was not such rs in
itself would alarm her friends. At(er
the lapse Of a few months she took 10
her bed. Then It was that n change
took place III her mental condition.
Formerly she was noted rather for lack
ot conversational powers, but now fits
or spasms would come over her, ON the
passing away of which hor eyes would
become set and glazed, her body almost
rigid, and while III that state she would
discourse eloqucntly, and give vivid
descriptions Of far-on scenes, far exceed
ing in their beauty anything which she
had ever seen or presumably ever read
OF. Ga the passing away o! this state
she exhibited u great degree of laSsi.
tude aud indispositiou to move, and
WAS taciturn and surly in reply
to any questions. This continued till
about II month since, when an extraor.
binary change occurred. The girl, nj
though still not gaining flesh, appeared
to rally. She became heht-hearted and
gay, and her friends anticipated mn
early release for her from the room Is
which she had been confined so long.
Their expectations were not in vain. for
shelsnow about the house apparently MS
we'll bodily rs ever, But most re-
markahlc development has taken place.
she is constantly giving oil electrical
discharges, and seems TO be Il perfect
battery. A person, unless possessed of
the very strongest nerves. cannot shake
hands with her, nor can any one place
his hand in pail of water with her.
! by joining hands she can scnd n shnrp
shock through fifteen or twenty people
III room, and she possesses all the at
fractions Of II magnet. Ii she attempts
to pick MP knife the blade will iumn
INTO her hand, and paper of needles
will hang suspended from ono of her
fingers. So strongly developed is this
electrical power that she carrot release
from her touch any arlic, Of steel
which she may have taken up. The
only method yot found is for second
party to take hold of the article and
pull while the girl strokes her own arm
vigorously from the wrist upward. On
her entering II room perceptible in.
iiuence SEXES hold of MI others. and.
while some are affected To sIeepiness.
others are i'll and iidgety till they leave.
and even for considerable time after.
ward. A sleeping baby will wake up
with start at her approach. but with 4
stroke Of her hand she can ut once
coax II to slumber again. Animals are
also subject to her influence, and bel
dog Of the household will lie for hours
ut her feet Ms motion,ass as in death.
A curious part Of the phenomena is the
fact that the electricity can be impaired
by her TO any article with which she
habltually comes in contact. The
other day younger sister, while doing
the homework, took up pair Of cor
sets belonging to Caroline, and on her
hand touching the steel she was com
PEELED TO drop them with loud cry
and an exclamation to the effect that
she had run needle into her finger.
Wooden spoons have had to be made
for ler, as she cannot touch metal. AL.
together the case is a most remarkable
one and attracts scores of visitors to tine
house Of Mr.. Clare. Medical men are
especially interesting themselves, and
it has been stated that DR.. I've of
Thmesyille, will read a papcr on the
subject at the meeting Of the Provincial
| Medical Association, which is TO be held
in London in the course OF this suns
mel. Mr.. Clare il the father Of seven
children, none Of whom, except Caro-.
line show any abnormal qualities.
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