Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-06

eight years of age. whom had treated pre- viously for whooping cough cured him of that annoying malady, and while on my way to his parents residence believed that he had
 been attacked by another sickness pertaining
 to juvenility. What was my surprise, there- fore, when the parents told me that their boy
 had been in 8 comatose condition all day, and
 they were afraid he WAS dead. He had slept
 all night they said, and at sunrise com
 plained of sickness, after which he fell into
 stupor, from which they were unable to
 arouse him I entered the room where. the
 boy was lying in bed, and found him wearing all the appearance of death. He had DO sensible respiration, no pulse, no motion of the heart, no feeling A convulsive move- ment of the right eyelid convinced me that the child was not dead, however, and I ap
 piled such restorative remedies as I had at hand, but they were of nc avail. I worked until the sun had disappeared from the hori- zon, when the boy recovered his senses by degrees and arose without auY symptoms that could indicate his having been i'll. I was puzzled and resolve d to ascertain the nature and cause of the death like stupor That evening took Dr. in consulta- tion, and we both visited the house in which the strange little patient resided. We re- maiaed with him until six o'clock in the morning. He slept very tranquilly through out the night, and shortly before daylight we awoke him, made him speak and amused him until the sun began to rise. The little fellow had been very happy and laughed heartily at the funny stories we told, until the first glimpse of sunshine was seen, when he suddenly said, Oh, mister, I'm sick,' and lay down on the bed and immediately as- stunned the appearance of death. Animation was entirely suspended, with the exception of the twitching right eyelid, and he looked exactly as had seen him on the previous day. We pricked him with needles and ap- piled a galvanic battery to his most sensitive parts, but without creating the least impress sion. The body remained extremely cold for at least two hours after which the cold di- ninished, without, however, ceasing entire ly. I forcibly raised one of the arms and 1t remained in an upright position. One of the legs also remained elevated when placed in that position. The members were like soft wax that takes every impression and were covered with indentations where we had pressed them with fingers. The child remained thus without swallowing until the sun disappeared behind Mount Massive, when symptoms of returning animation were observable, and after 8 while he arose, oD the previous evening. He was ravenously hungry and ate a very hearty meal, after which he rompsd with his younger brother until bedtime, when he again went to sleep. Thus the boy has lived and died every day during the past two months, He eats one hearty meal every night, and his digestion
 
 ailment In fact, he has increased in height and weight since my first visit to him and his spirits excellent I have experiment. ed with every remedy known to cure such cases, but they seemed to have effect ex- cept to make the child sick during h1s walk ing hours and when the catalogue of favor ite remedies was exhausted let him alone. I have written full diagnosis of the case and sent it to several medical monarchs in tLis country and Europe, and they are all anxious to see him I am now applying my last pre- scription, and if it fails I will take the boy to New York, when the most eminent pbysi clans in the country will examiAe him"
 The reporter accompanied the doctor when the little patient was visited yestsroay l morning and last evening. The case was found to be exactly as the physician had de 1 seribed. It was death in life. During the I suns ascendancy the inanimate boys limbs l were plastic as clay, and the doctor bent and l twisted them without evoking the least sigu ' of consciousness from the patient. In the | evening, when the boy aWoke from the | trance, he looked around, and, recognizing | he doctor, smiled as brightly and cheertully 1 IS if he had just enjoyed pleasant nap.