New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-04-01
PETRIFIED ALIVE.

PETRIFlED ALIVE.
a Woman Whose Body Gradually Turned to
Stone-A Most Remarkable Case-An In
valid Since Childhood, Death Does
Its Work When Petrifactton
Reaches the Heart.
A petrifed woman, Miss Hannah
Stout, says Vincennes, Ind, dispatch
to The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,
died at her home, near Kinds Station,
Morgan county, north of this CITY, on
the Indianapolis and Vincennes rail-
road, Friday. She was the daughter
of Mr.. J. D. Stout, who is a country
merchant and postmaster at Kinds
Station. Miss Stout was about 80
years of age. and had been helpless
invalid since childhood. Several
months ago your correspondent made
a visit to the home of the living curl
osity and conversed with her. She
sat in an easy chair with her limbs
doubled up, before the door. A
younger sister was constant attend
ant.
When Miss Stout was child it was
noticed that at times she would lose
the use of her limbs, and complained
Of lameness and soreness in her Joints,
and for some time her parents thought
she was afflicted with slight rheuma-
tism. On account of i'll health her
parents would not allow her to go out
in wet weather, and kept her from
school altogether. The child grew
gradually worse, and finally she be-
came a helpless invalid. The physi-
clans for miles around called in, but
not one of them could diagnose her
case. Correspondence was had with
all the leading medical institutions in
the country, but little aid or satisfac-
ton could be secured. The strange
malady that had taken possession of
the girl was watched closely with great
interest, and it was found that her
flesh was gradually becoming hard
ened. Her feet and limbs-both legs
and arms-werc becoming hard as
rock. and not an impression could be
made in them by the touch. The in
valid was not much of a sufferer from
physical pain, but at times she would
complain and become fretful, but as a
usual thing she was quiet and far from
being laxative.
She answered the questions put to
her by your correspondent in a
mechanical manner, not manifesting
any interest in her condition. She
could crochet, but it was wholly with
q finger movement, and before she
died her fingers stifened and became
SO solicited that she could not even
move them. She had only one kind
of crocheting she could do, and that
was a stitch she had invented herself.
She amused herself in this way by
hours. Always an invalid, she had
never learned to read or write, and her
family thought it best not to annoy
her mind with hard lessons. She was
wheeled around in her invalid chair,
ard the family was as patient with her
as they could possibly be under the
circumstances. The strange disease
that carried her to her grave progress
ed so slowly that it was imperceptible.
For weeks not a sign of petri6cation
was visible. Suddenly she would grow
nervous and drowsy, aud it was at
such times that the family knew the
dreadful malady had again commence
ed its work. Her feet and ankles and
the lower part OF her limbs were stiff
and hard as rock, and where feshv
substance ought to have grown the
body was hard as stone. She could
move her toes, but her limbs were as
stiff as a piece of wood. Her arms
were also immovable, so far as elbow
movement was concerned. She could
move her fingers back and forth slight
ly. Her forehead was hard IS stone;
$50 also were her cheeks. The main
part of her body was the same. Her
neck inclined forward little, but was
Shard, and not the slightest impression
could be made in the flesh. She was
pale and looked like an invalid. Her
eyes were dark and large and brilliant,
her hair was brown, and her face al
together intelligent and pleasant.
The best medical aid in the country
has been called in to discuss and dag.
nose this most remarkable case, but
physicians from Philadelphia, Cincin-
natl, and Chicago advise that little or
no medicine be given her, as her case
was beyond earthly comprehension and
human assistance.
Her father, Mr.. j. w. Stout, is an
intelligent and agreeable gentleman,
who has resided in that neighborhood
for over a quarter of century. He
has studied medicine some, and his
constant intercourse with eminent
members of the medical profession has
given him much information concern
ing the science of physiology, and he
declares that he has never vet met a
physician who could give any satisfac-
ton concerning the peculiar ailment
that possessed his daughter. He says
the highest medical authorities do not
quote case of this kind anywhere in
this country or any other country on
the face of the civilized globe. He
does not claim that she ,petrified COM
pletely, and yet in doubt as to the real
nature OF the ailment, but thinks that
her weight, for a small woman, was
sunnatural. Her weight has been es-
stlmated at from three hundred to four
shundred pounds, and yet she was a
sVery small woman, delicate and short.
and ordinarily would not weigh one