Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-12

tered and bathed, by way OF arOus'
ing her, but all to no avail. After
seven days of her sleep she began
to make signs that she desired food.
But the power of hearing was ab-
sent. and did not return until four
DAYS before her full recovery. Her
right hand and arm were said to
have been somewhat paralyzed and
insensible to touch. When she did
awake she alleged that she had no
knowledge Of anything which had
happened in her sleep. She lad
not been conscious of taking food,
and entertained no recollection OF
having been blistered or bled.
In 1888 one Elizabeth Perkins
fell into a profound slumber, and
remained in this for at least twelve
DAYS, "when she awoke of her own
Accord adds the account, to the
great JOY OF her relatives and won
der of the neighborhood.' Mrs.
Perkins is then stated to have gone
about her ordinary business; but
in week tho sleep attack super
vened, and she again lay for some
days in deep slumber. Then oc-
CURED intervals of wakefulness be-
tween periods of sleep for some
months, but the patient in this case
died after a comparatively short
experience of the unnatural state.
Another case is that of a patient at
Kirkheaton, who for a period of
twelve months was seldom awake
for three hours out OF the twenty
four. The "Lady Of Nismes" is
also a we'll known instance of pro
longed somnolense, and Is reported
i'm the "Memoirs Of the Berlin
Academy of Sciences for the year
1777. This parsonage suffered
from attacks OF sleep, which oc-
Cured periodically at sunrise and
about noon. The sunrise attack
endured usually till within short
time of the occurrence Of the noon
attack. The latter lasted till seven
or eight in the evening. 1t is
satisfactory, however, to note that
this lady remained awake till the
sunrise, so that she appears simply
to have reversed the ordinary or
der of things in respect to the
period of sleep, and to have imitat
cd the bats and the owls in respect
to her nocturnal wakefulness.-
The most curious fact, perhaps,
which is related in connection with
this cnse is found in the statement
that the first or morning sleep in
variably took place ut daybreak. =
No matter at what period of the
morning daybreak happened, the
lady of Nismes fell asleep in stricI
harmony with the dawn. There
was a more extraordinary case still
reported accurately by a DR.
Cheyne toward the close OF the
last century-that of a Colone
Townshend. This gentleman visit
ed Bath to drink the waters, and
informed DR.. Chcyne and othel
physicinnc that he could counter
felt deoth at will. The Colone
readily cOnoented to make the ex
pertinent, and so, with three doc
tors in attendance, he laid himsel
on O couch. His pulse grew
thready and small, and inall,
stopped; his breathing ceased, ant
when the spothccary, one Mr.
Shrine, held a glass to his mouth
the snrface was not dimmed. Th,
worthy physician who told th'
story says that himself and his
colleagues thought that the Colone
had really gwen up the ghost. But
the pulse began to revive, h!'
breathing became established, anC
soon the Colonel sat up and con
versed. The sequel to this nara
tion is cnrious enough in its way
Colonel Townshend died shortly
afterward at Bath, bat his body
was found to be free from any
traces of disease or other condition
such as might explain the power
he possessed over his heart ant
lungs. The recital of such cases
only adds another phase to the lis
OF curious actions life may exhibit
1t was Sancho Panza of immorta
fame who cried, "God bless thu
man who first invented slespw Blu
1t would appear that even thu
worthy squire of the "ingeniou'
gentleman might haye discovered
that 1t Is possible to have too mucl
of a good thing, after all.