The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-11
THE SAND HILL STORY
ExpLoDaD BY zee PuYsIcIAN
who Is Attending the H1R Gil Durlpg her
nIpsss-Ths PhsnORspa Really OBJ.
ssyVsd all Natural to the Diseased
OupdItion of the Body and Brain.

IN this community by the reports concern.
ing the child OF NJ, j, Huff, who resides
about four miles south Of this place, and
owing to misstatsmsnts made in the issue
Of your worthy paper oithe fourth instant
under the title OF "a Case for Doctors"
by citizen OF Sand Hill, deem II my
duty to inform the public through your
columns Of the true nature Of the case,
BY so doing, l do not wish to cast any re.
Elections on the Sand Hill reporter, know
ing that he gave tbho acconnt as he. had
been informed.
Firat-It was stated that two physicians
were summoned, but alter studying the
case several days, they admitted that they
did not understand II, take the liberty
OF stating that no such admission was
ever made, but that tina true nature OF the
case ia beyond a doubt, as shall hereafter
be shown. The physiClana referred to
were myself (sttending physician) and DR..
Dagg consulting physicianl,
Second-ThRt when the child Is attack
ed by one ofthe intermittent spells Of the
diseRss, "she sinks into q deathlike
trance" aud that during this trance "she
Is TO all appearances dead" No such
phenomenon has ever been witnessed in
her case, The child sinks into q ssem-
ingly semi.consGlous condition, at times
lying still, and again protruding her
tongue, staring with set eyes and exhibit
ing q tTemulous movement OF the head.
Nothing OF death,like appearance mani.
fouka ftua1f raaniF akiou nat hahn, auananI
ed and the pulse not varying much from
that during the intervals Of rest.
Third-That since her fourth year abe
has been a cripple and Of feeble health,
and that now she Ia unusually strong, her
muscles seeming like iron. The Child's
present condition is one Of great emacia.
ton, she not being able to stand alone,
and her musClea instead Of being as hard
rs iron, are perfectly laccld, except dur
ing paroxysm, when they become rigid
and her strength unusual, phenomena
which are by no means rare or mysterious
to physicians OF any experience,
The history OF the case, In short, Is as
follows: The subject OF these remarks is
a child about II or IL years old, being
afflicted with scroiulOus disease Of the hip
joint since she was four years OF age. l
was called some time previous 10 the
present attack OF the child, and found her
suffering somewhat with cOrysa Tor COM
mon cold accompanied by severe frontal
neuralgia, seemingly Of a cerebral origin,
which l informed the father was Of y
aCroiulOus nature, and in all probability
would prove serious. The child continued
for several days IN this condition, and
then owing To the extension Of the disease
backward, or to the new development
owing h the aldleriuS nlOrbt In the blood,
1t located near the oCClpito'parietal auture,
at the top Of the head.
This Is an inflammation Of sub.acute
form, but producing Rcute neuralgia. The
little patient bore with these severe par
oxYams oil pain until her nervous system
would no longer hold out, and then these
nervous phenomena followed. These are
as follows: She goes into the gemi.Con.
sCious condition described above, lying
quiet most OF the time, but occasionally
presenting tho phenomena before desCrib-
cd during. this stage her tlexor muscles
are in state Of tonic spasm. Emerging
from this stage she goes into BtaVe Of
clonic Convulslons, several times produc.
ing OpishatOntS, and again making violent
efforts to get away, jumping, reaching
aud halloolng violently, alter which she
becomes quiet until seized with another
paroxysm. 1t Is during this last stage
that she does the talking and describes
the scenes which she claims are revealed
to her, but which are nothing more than
imaginary objects presented to her through
q morbid state OF the mind,
SO far as her description Of persons who
have died Is concerned, would say that
all these persons died near where she
lives, none being more than three or four
miles away. OF course she has some
knowledgeof them, and by leading ques.
tions or by questions that suggest an
answer, she will make these statements. !
have questioned her closely and find that
her statements are conflicting, answer.
ing In the affirmative or negative as Sign
Of approval or disapproval would seem to
indicate.
Moreover, II she sees heaven IN It's
glory, then there must be snakes and
things Of q hideous kind in heaven, for
she sees them also, and asks others II they
do not see them, The statements preva.
lent that she never knew there was God,
q heaven or hell, are not correct. Her
father told me to-day that she had often
heard them talk Of such things. Although
she cannot read, she 10 a child Of good
common sense. The objects presented TO
her are but hallucinations.
What physician Of any experience has
not witesSed such cAses2 In delirium
tremensthe patient sees allmanner Of hide.
uus objects and tries TO shun them. Who
would say that they were real2 In the
various feyers and in many diseases OF the
brain the patient imagines he sees certain |
objects and talks as though he were engag.
3D. In his usual vocation. These are all
leluBionB due TO the effect OF disease
Upon the brain. have witnessed cases
where impressions Of q false nature have
bsen produced upon the mind Of patients
turing illness, and II was difficult to make |
hem believe otherwise even when con.
ValescenCe was established, Such 10 the |
effect Of disease upon the mind.
The question has been asked, us II q
Ease OF hysteria7" l would say that,
although not primarily 90, yet hysteria |
developed 10 a certain degree, not as q
complication but "a sequel. The above
statements are correct, aud am ready to
produce undeniable evidence as to their
ruth, both from personal observation and
The best scientific authority.
l received a letter from q man In Pits
burgh few days since, stating that be
had read an account OF this case In the
morning paper, and that In his opinion
she was o medium, and that he had been
IN a similar condition few years ago. He
d Bpiritualist, and said II Il were desired
On the part Of the physician he would
come to see her and give directions aB 10
her treatment. He has published works
IN apiriLualism, and this would be a case,
suppose, to help till up another edition,
Whenever | wish 10 deny my allegiance
10 allopathy and withdraw myself from
The fraternity with which | have been
connected, Twill then go about healing
rail humanity BY the laying on Of hands,
but not I'LL then. l hope that the state.
nents have made will put the minds oil
The people ut rest. | assure them that
there Is nothing Of q MIRACULOUS nature In
Eha Naan Hd6tFu that iha tan6la mae |