The Columbus journal., 1883-07-18
A Weeks Trance.
A case of SUSPENDED animation, which


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A case of suspended animation, which
in many respects is Of the most re-
markable known to science, has oc-
Cured in this city within the past ten
days. Ayoung lady. Miss Annie -.
whose full name, at the request of her
parents, is withheld. went into a trance
on the 18th inst, and did not regain
consciousness until last Sunday at seven
O'Clock p. ma week afterward. At
that time she awOke, and, recognizing
the ringing of the bells Of \ neighbo: ing
church, remarked that it wa Sunday,
and since then she has been gradually
improving.
The. particulars of the case are highly
interesting. Miss Annie is an attractive
young lady, about twenty years old. re-
siding on Lower Madison street, and,
with the exception OF u severe attack Of
st. Vitus' dance about two or three
years since, has always been ordinarily
healthy. About two weeks ago, how
ever, she began to complain of neural
gic troubles, accompanied by cerebral
and spinal irritation. She was quite
unwell until the following Sunday. when,
about seven p. IN, she subsidized into a
trance from which she has not vet re-
covered. There was, however, nothing
alarming about her condition, and to all
appearances she was simply in a deep
slumber. Her breathing, temperature,
and p%ulsstiOn maintained their normal
condition, and at times, without appear
ing ut all CONSCIOUS, she was induced to
take nourishment. Her family were. of
course, very much alarmed ut her pre-
t%ernatural situation. and summoned DR..
r II. Porter, who endeavored to srOuse
her. but without success. Ordinary
stimulants failing. he resorted to the use
Of An electric battery, but met with no
better success. For several days longer
she remained in this somnambulistic
state, and awOke to consciousness for
the first time Sunday.
Even then, however. she did not recog-
nize anyone, and. without regaining the
use of her faculties. she relapsed again
into her seeming slumber, her eyes be-
ing closed and her breathing regular
and peaceful. The following day she
rallied q little, and became acutely SEN
sitive to noises and touch, and recog-
nized the family, but was unable to say
more than '.yes" or mo"
In company with DR.. Porter, a Con-
rier-Journalist paid q visit to his interest
sng patient Yesterday evening. Through
out the day she had manifested con-
seriousness, to q limited extent. shrink
ing from noise or contact, and evincing
a morbid dread even of the pillows on
her bed. At the time of the visit she wa
lying in AZ apparently pleasant slumber.
her head turned to one side, her eyes
closed, and q half smile just parting her
lips. When the physician spoke she
reused up q little. and. by slow degrees.
for the first time regained the full pos
session Of her faculties. Upon his in
quiry as to whether she felt any pain,
she nodded her head, and after a little
coaxing said that it was in her forehead.
After saying this. she relspsed into in
s%ensibility, but was easily aroused again,
and answered a few questions with some
effort. but intelligibly. The mental pro-
cesses evidently cost her considerable
effort, but she unquestionably was fully
conscious. The presence of a stranger
excited her curiosity. and she was mani
testify puzzled over his identity. Her
condition was extremely favorable, and
she will most likely be fully recovered
by the end of the week.
In the opinion of DIR. Porter. who has
made nervous diseases a specially, the
case is q most remarkable and interest
ing one The majority of rances re-
suit from some injury, generally of the
head, but this can not be traced to any
,,o T. H. l~-k
conversation on this class of diseases, he
remarked that he had met with two
other queer cases, though none SO in
teresting. One was a boy who formerly
resided on Ninth street near Broadway,
who was subject to occasional frances.
lasting for three days and nights at a
time. During these he was entirely un-
conscious, and when he recovered had
not the slightest recollection of what
had occurred. He recovered perma-
nently: and for two years has not had
an attack of his old malady. The other
case was more remarkable, being one of
complete double consciousness in q
young lady. When in one of her frances
she was able at times to 60 about her
usual household duties. and ever con-
verse intelligibly. but was unable to
remember anything that had occurred
when in her normal condition. More
singular still. when in another trance
she recalled what had happened in pre-
vious Ones, though still ignorant Of
what transpired at other times. Under
. treatment of tonics and stimulants she
was Also restored to perfect health
Louisville Courier-JOurn0I.