Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-21
4 cHILDs sTRANaE MALApY.
snhdscs 20 Trance. Lasting weeks as
Time.


Time.
A Scranton penny telegram says:
Rebecca Mcdonald, the fourtecn-year-
old daughter of David Mcdonald, a
foreman in the moulding department OF
the Dickson Manufacturing Company's
works, is subject to fits Of trance Of
strange interest, some OF them lasting
for weeks at time. A short time
ago, on regaining consciousness after
an unusually protracted spell Of this
sort, the girl wrote on a slate
that she had been in the celestial
regions, and that it was impossible to
describe the glories Of that place.
After passing through another trance
she seemed greatly perturbed, and
wrote that she had seen the internal
regions and their occupants. Prior to
her present trouble Rebecca was an
unusually bright and attractive child.
One evening, about year ago, she
visited amerry-go-round, where a num-
Der of other children were playing and
laughing. She started for home at 9
o'clock. A short distance from the
house she was accosted by two men,
who followed her to the door. The
child's screams brought her mother to
the scene and the men ran off, but
Rebecca was greatly frightened and
suffered terrible shock.
Gnnt ofto- tb,o tk~oo of Nh Monnn-
AIDS other children were taken sick.
Rebecca devoted much attention to
them, and one evening while minister
ing to their comfort, and putting things
to rights in order to be in time for
school, she fell down stairs and injured
her spine. The injury was followed by
sickness and decline, and the parents,
thinking change Of air might benefit
her, took her to the residence Of her
aunt, Mrs. Warburton, who lives in the
Hyde-Park section of the city. Three
months ago Mrs. Warburton took Re-,
becca out for walk. When only q
short distance from the house the gin
screamed and fell upon the side
walk. Her limbs became rigid, her
eyes assumed fixed stare, and she was
unable to speak. She was carried home,
and remained in this helpless condition
for eight days. During this time she
could not move her lips or tongue, but
she hummed numerous tunes with the
larynx. For several days she took no
food. As soon as the girl became con-
scious she foamed at the mouth and
snapped at everybody who approached
her. Then came period of calm. Her
eyes remained closed and her efforts to
articulate were painful in the extreme.
She understood every word that was
spoken in the room and wrote on slate
replies to such questions as were asked
her.
Between that time and the 4th Of
July Rebecca had three similar spells.
Then she appeared to get well again,
was taken out riding, and seemed to be
in a good way Of recovery. About the
middle Of July she became unconscious
again at the Warburton residence, re-
sumed the humming of well-known airs,
and kept this up for long time. The
doctor thrust a darning-needle into her
rigid limbs, but she did not seem to feel
it, and continued the humming as if
nothing had occurred to give her pain.
Two weeks ago she became conscious,
and startled all the neighbOrs with her
screams. Then she was tranquil. She
remembered nothing of the trance.
A week ago last Saturday Rebecca
had another trance, from which she has
not yet recovered. a reporter visited
the house to-day and saw the afflicted
girl. She shook hands with all who
approached her bedside, and her efforts
to speak were exceedingly touching.
While the reporter was in the room she
began humming and kept it up for half
an hour. Her closed eyes quiyered,
but there was no movement of the other
features or limbs. The case excites the
most profound pity for the little suf-
ferer, and it is difficult to tell how long
the present trance may continue.