San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-02
SHE ExPEcTRD GRETCHEN.

In thogyesn 1880, two wonderful eases Of
persistent DaTcOlepsy were reported. In the
last week in january in that year the daugh-
ter of the mayor Of GTambke, little village
near Bremen, Germany, failed to respond 80
the morning. call, notwithstanding vigorous
efforts on the part of her sisters 30 arouse
her. At nooh the father was informed, but
remarked that the child was tired, having
attended village gathering the day before
whore romping wss>indulged In TO excess.
On the morning OF the second day the father
became thoroughly alarmed and efforts were
again made to break the spell, but they, like
those of tho morning before, were unsuccess
full. From that time forward until about the
middle of October, with the exception Of a
few hours Of sesni-wakefulHess, the girl con-
tinued to slumber as naturally as any child
over fatigued from a day Of exercise. On
the l4th day Of October, eight months and q
half having elapsed since the beginning OF
her unnatural sleep, she awoke and. called
her sisters to help dress. her, remarking, a
expect Gretchen will be here now before
finish my breakfast" She ate heartily, but
could not be induced to believe that it was
October and that little Gretchen, her play
mate, had been dead several months
that little Gretchen had called on the first
day of the childs sleep ''just because she had
promised her that she would when they parted
the night. before" The fact that the child
did not mention the prospective call from her
little friend during her moments of seeming
wakefulness in April and July gave the at
tending physicians ample room to question
whether she had really been awake during
into
days she was as bright and as playful as ever,
seemingly none the worse off for her eight
and half months Of torpidity On five diff
ferent occasions, twice in April and three
times in July, when she could break the
lethargy for few moments, she seemed as
bright and happy as though in her normal
condition; would insist on helping sweep or
wash dishes, but always fell asleep before the
task was completed The fact that she never
mentioned the names of any of her paymates
during these spells of semi-wakefulness, argues
against her really being awake until the Octo-
Der morning when she announced the pros
pective call from her little friend who had
died in May.
BROUGHT ON BY sUNSTRoKE.
In 1874, while Nathan G. Vrocman, of
Schenectady, N. Y, was at work in the har
vest field, he received a severe sunsUroke, but
quickly recovered and was soon able to take
his fork and go a-feld as though nothing had
happened. A few days later he complained
OF dizziness, and ere long was forced to give
up the farm altogether. He worked in the
car shops of the city named above for about
two years, but was never rid of the feeling
OF dizziness, especially if engaged in stoop-
ing work. In the six years that followed his
sunstroke he was SUCCESSFULLY shopman, a
brakeman and a conductor on a freight
train. On the 18th Of February, $780, his
head troubled him more than usual, and in
the afternoon he gave up his work and took
to his bed. He Immediately fell asleep, and
continued in that condition almost without
interruption for four weeks and three DAYS
He wolld eat only on alternate days, and
then with his eyes closed, giving no heed to
what was going on around him. His appe
tite was fairly good for one in an inactive
state, and never for a moment did he show