Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-24
A LONG SLEEP.
The Singular Case of Miss
Jennie Thomas.
WHAT DO THE DOCTORS sAYg
A Young Woman Who Has Been
in a Cataleptic Condition for
Five Weeks.

was suddenly attacked by spasmodic
which were at first supposed
to be the effect OF something which she
had eaten, and which had poisoned her.
Miss Thomas was then eleven years OF
age. A physician was sent for and IN
half an Gour the girl had resumed her
normal condition. Two weeks after
wards she had another attack, LISTING
about the same period of time. The
.conyulsons were similar in character to
epileptie spasms, and she was, until
about two years ago. treated for epi-
lepsy by all the physicians who were
called to attend her. One OF the feat
ures of this case is that all the phenom-
ana now connected with it occur when
the Young lady is asleep, and in this re.
spsct her case differs radically from the
great majority of epileptic or catalepiic
subjeots; the exciting cause OF an attack
as given by medical authorities, being
usually mental emotion operating either
suddenly, IS in the case OF fright, or
more gradually in the way OF prolonged
depression. The fact that Miss Thomas
is no longer affected by undue emotions
and possesses most cheerful disposi-
ton. combined with excellent health
physically, compels the investigator to
search further for the cause OF her ab-
normal disorder. Catalepsy belongs to
the class of functional nervous disorders,
of which the pathology is but little un.
derstood. owing to the manner in which
the morbid and
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
Are inextricably mingled. Until with
in two years the usual remedies tor
epilepsy, largely composed OF bromides,
were used in the treatment or the case,
but about thak time DIR. - was
called in and be pronounced the disease
hysterio- epilepsy, form OF epilepsy re-
aairing entirely different methods OF
treatment. The attacks have occurred
constantly during the past seven years.
at intervals of week or two, the long
est cessation being two weeks during
the past two years. In 1880 Captain
Thomas was advised to try change OF
climate and he took his daughter East,
where she remained from september
until May of the following year. Dur.
ing the winter of that period she had
no attack or any of the attendant symp-
toms, but as soon as the warm weather
set in the spasms returned. This is ac.
counted for by DIR. - on the
hypothesis that a newer and stronger
impression was made upon the seat OF
the disease by the change of climatic
conditions. Whether continuous cold
weather would produce permanent re.
lief, however. is doubtful. 1t is stated
by her father that her condition has
been generally batter since. Her
health while in natural condition
is also better. About four months ago
she had her first cataleptic attack, the
epileptic symptoms disappearing en-
tirely. At this time she fell into pro
found sleep, apparently. and did not
awake for five weeks, except at long
intervals, when she was conscious only
few moments at time. Occasionally
during this period she was subject to
irregular
sPAsMoDIc MOVEMENTS
of the limbs, and whenever her arms
were Strengthened they remained rigid
in the position in which they were left.
On one occasion she awoke from her
trance like condition, and her mother
hastened to prepare some food for her.
She had just time to make a cup of tea
and slice of toast. Jennie took the toast
and was raising it to her mouth when her
eyes closed and her arm remained rigid,
crushing the bread between her fingers.
She had relapsed into her cataleptic con-
dition, and did not awake for several
days. She recovered from this sleep
with an acute headache at the base of
the brain, but was able to dress herself
and attend to her household duties with
her usual alarcity and industry. Occas
ionally the spasms would return, sue
ceeding headache, and always reliev.
ing the pain. In fact, she has been heard
to long for spasm so that the pain in
her head might cease. This popularity
was accounted for on the supposition that
the brain becomes surchraged with blood,
producing painful headaches, and the
succeeding convulsions simply is ma
tursl reaction in the expulsion of he
huid. On recovery she is somewhat sore
on account of the muscular tension, but
otherwise she is free from every disorder
whatever. Five weeks ago she had an
other attack, and she is still under its
influence, apparently unconscious OF
everything occurring around her. The
whole organic and vital functions appear
to be reduced to thelowest possible limit,
and the digestive and assimilative organs
being at a standstill, she requires no
food. During this last attack her heart,
by the muscular contraction of the dia-
phragm, has been shifted to the right
side three or four times, but ii does not
cease to beat. and her breathing is not
retarded. 1t is not known positively
whether, during this attack, she is con.
scious at any time, but during the former
one she awoke with
VAGUE RECoLLECTIoNs
OF what had occurred at her bedside,
thus inducing the belief that she may
sleep and awake as in her normal condi.
tion, but owing to the fact that her
muscles are rigid and immovable, is un-
able to indicate by any movement that
she has recovered consciousness. 1t is
probable that she may be able to hear
at times. These attacks have no dele
FERROUS effects on the brain; her men,
~ory is extraordinarily good and her in
tellect is In no way impaired and cannot
be, as the seat Of the disease is in the
base OF the brain, producing simply
Lack OF motion control. The doc ors
know very little about the disease and
they know less Of the structures tina re-
ceive the impressions which produce the
effects described. The ca of Jeanie
Thomas, however, has peculiarities that
are not mentioned in the books and
which local physicians have never OBJ.
served in the most pronounced catalep
tic conditions. 1t is thought that this
case is the result of scarletinal poison
ing, Miss Thomas having had a severe
attack of that disease while an infant.
Whether she will become less subject to
cataleptic attacks as she grows older
<,annot of course he stated noxv hnt