Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-12
SLEEP LIKE DEATH.
THE FAMOUS SLUMDERER OF THE SALT
PETRIERE HOSPITAL.
TIE ATTACKS OF MARY LYALL AND
OTUERS--A MAN WHO COULD
COUNTERFEIT DEATH AT WILL.
brooklyn Citizen.

of age. woke up III the Saltpetrlere
Hospital in Paris, after enjoying a
prolonged and profound nap OF
eighteen days duration. 1t seems,
SAYS the London Nc,cs, that this
patient, in whom large amount OF
pnbIic interest has naturally been
excited, exhibited as child GER
tain peculiarities of the nervous
system which presaged some such
condition as she has lately shown.
AS a child she remembers laughing
and crying without knowing the
cause, and when she was twenty
two years Of age she first entered
the Saltpetrierc TO be treated for
paralvsis, to which aiment she is
still subject. The present, hoVev-
er, is not the first long sleep Mad.
Eudoxie IIedouin has INDUCED ln'
Somewhere about the 7th of May,
1875. she fell into a state OF rest.
I'm this state her face wos calm, aud
the eyes were frequently to be seen
partially uncovered by their lids.
From this state of somnolence she
was readily awakened both on the
7th of May, and on the succeeding
day. But nature was apparently
preparing for creator and more
startling things IN the way Of rest.
On the 18th of May, 1885, Eudoxie
went of in reality into the Gland
Of Nod Then began n sleep from
which she did not awake TILL
the 2Sth day Of that month. On
the 2Sth of May she took a full
meal, coughed violently and then
became dclirious. Such is the ply
scian's report of her case, and the
latter is interesting in its way, as
proving that serious disturbance of
the nervous system did really e1-
ist. and might be held responsible
for the protractcd rest of the pa
tient. We have no details Of Eu.
doxie IIedOuin's history between
MAY, 1873, and January, 1885,
But in the last named and succeed
/ ing month this woman slept during
fifty days. Then comes the sleep
of eighteen days from which
she has Just woke up. 1t is more
than probable that this tendency to
somnolence will continue, for med
| ical experience proves tolerably
conclusive in its assertion that such
cases are given to repeat their Pc
cnliarity ad ininitum. That the
sleep of EudoXie, however, borders
on the condition known famlliarly
as hysteria, and that it is to be re-
rardcd rather az a condition sim
ulating sleep than as the trne and
yeritablc rest Of brain itself, seems
10 be proved by an interesting ex-
pcriment made by DR.. VOisin, who
| is in charge OF the case at the Salt
pelriere. During her last attack
of sleep, DIR. Voisin inclOsed In a
piece of paper a drug capable OF
causing vomiting, and plsced this
on the skin without saying any
thing to the patient Of his dolngs.
/ As might be expected, no result
followed this procedure. The drug
being removed, DR.. YOisin folded a
piece of paper, perfectly empty, and
placed it on the patients skin, re-
marking at the same time aloud,
and in the patients hearing, that
"she would certainly vomit.' Ten
minutes aiterward this latter re
suit happened. Eudoxie, it was
Gear, whatever her condition as tc
sleep, actually heard what the ply
sician had said. The fixed idea
produced by DR.. Yoisin's words had
its effect. The case resembles that
of the person who swallows twenty
drops OF pure water under the idea
that the fluid is morphia, and falls
into profound sleep, as if he had
actually taken an opiate.
There are other elements in thf
case at the Saltpetriere Hospital
proving that it belongs to u large
aud ever-increasing group OF Incl
dents which teach us how the brain
may induce the appearance and
condition Of sleep or rest, while ~
the same time it shows activity II
certain of its parts or centers.-
Dreaming and sleep. walking Illus
trate this duplex action of the brain
| IN "A less curious phase than does
the case of Eudoxie Hedouin, who,
for all practical purposes, may In
deed be regarded as existing in a
state Of natural mesmerism.
One proof of this statement is
found in Dr. Voisin's experiment OF
giving her an empty glass, which
she was told contained champagne,
and out of which she greedlly
drank the supposed liquor. Sim
iIarily piece Of aloes was given
her in place OF sugar, and when
eaten provoked, We are told, "only
a slight grimace."
If we search among the records
of our learned societies we may find
numerous cafes of like kind. Take,
for example that of one Mary
Lyall, whih is related in the
eighth volume OF the "Transac'
tions of the Royal Society OF Edin'
burgh." Here the patient falls
asleep on the morning of tho 9th
of June, ant remains bound in the
chains Of sonnOlence until theeven'
4 Al, 0ntl, ,f hmm Than