Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-03
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE p1spArcH., ),

a young, woman residing in this city, whose
maps have extended to an unprecedented
length of time, ranging from to "a days.
1ncredulous persons have said that it was a
hoax, physicians who have not seen her have
disbelieved it, while many people have
ventured to see for themselves, and have
gone away convinced that the half was never
told.
The story is as follows, every statement of
which is correct and readily proven: Mr..
and Mrs. John Tons are Germans, and have
resided In Attica ever since they came from
the old country, over 80 years ago. They
are in humble circumstances, having but
little education. Mr.. Toms is a mason.
The family consists of the parents and six
children. Mrs. Emma Althouse is the third
child of these parents and is about 25 years
of age. She was married in March, 1885,
but for some reason does not live with her
husband.
In August, 1887, Mrs. AIthouse became
very i'll. A dysentery of an obstinate and
unyielding character attacked her, which
took very serious turn. A physician was
sent for, German who is pastor of the Ger
man Lutheran Church and at the same time
doctors among his people to large extent
This Rev. Mr.. Huber is a gentleman of the
best repute. He is well educated and has a
physicians diploma. Upon responding to
the call, he was quite at a loss to account for
the severity and character of the illness, but
finally succeeded in subduing the disease.
THE DISEASE CHANGES.
Afterward it was ascertained that she was
suffering from assesses in the colon, or
large intestine. The physician did all that
could be done to relieve her, but the alb
scesses broke and discharged only to be fol-
lowed by others. During the formation of
these assesses Emma suffered greatly, but
after they had discharged she would fall
into heavy sleep which usually lasted
about three days, from which she would
waken and remain awake for several days.
She has remained awake as long as ten days.
These periods of sleep were not marked
by quiet, for she showed even in that sleep,
distress of body, and consequently distress
of mind. She would wiring her hands,
interlocking her fingers with wise
like strength, making it almost i'm
possible to separate them, and until
the ends of the fingers would be fairly
purple. Her attendants were obliged to re-
sort to fastening towels around each one to
prevent the distressing wTinging and twist
sufferings she would twist and writhe in an
indescribable manner her whole body, so
that she had to be held upon her bed.
Once she fell from the bed during the mo-
mentary inattention of her sister, iniuring
her arm and side, and causing rupture of
blood vessel in the arm.
PRAYING AND SINGING.
Sometimes her delirium would be more
quiet. She would in half whisper utter
snatches of hymns, fastening from one to
another as if it was task which she must
quickly finish. These hymns she would
repeat often, with acceleration. Again her
delirium would take the form of short,
eiaculatory prayer, so, my Lord, do not
leave me, 81 adore Thee" "Save
me, save me-" etc. Sometimes
Emma would be perfectly quiet with arms
thrown above her head upon the pillow,
without a motion for days, except a slight,
regular motion of the hand, which was
kept up without ceasing, during the spell.
During one of her waking spells she ex-
claimed; 'Oh, 1 am so tired. must go
back to Sleep"
She would predict the length of her sleep,
never, in single case, awaking until the
time had passed which she had foretoId.
Upon one occasion, when she said she was
going to sleep, her physician inquired
when he should call her. "I don't know"
longer!' ''Fourteen?" so, yes" perhaps
twenty, Emma" SIT will be long time,
doctor" At this time, February, 1888, she
slept II days, awaking with slight bleed
ing of the nose. After active treatment she
was restored partly to consciousness, but
tainted, or swooned away several times
Before fully conscious she exclaimed: so
must wake again; must wake again?''
CORRECT PREDICTIONS.
She remained awake several days, pre-
dieting that she should sleep again for
about three days When asked if she was
then going into another long trance She
nodded and said that she would "sleep per-
haps 80 days." At this time when asked if
she felt pain she replied that she did. in the
seat of the assesses and also spoke of
headache. The family say that she has
borne her sutferings uncomplainingly.
March 1, 1888, she fell asleep, awaking
Saturday evening, March 3. The following
Sunday evening, March IL, she began a
long sleep, which ended Friday evening,
April 13, making SO days of sleep. The
condition of the sleeper during these SO
days was trance-like, all of the functions of
the body being dormant. Her lips we're
closed naturally, her teeth firmly SET, her
face at first little flushed, her right hand ,
moving softly, her lips uttering low, soft,
delirious whisperings, less and less fire.
quent. AS the days passed she became
perfectly still, her limbs and arms
perfectly white and cold, her pulse very
feeble. Skeptical people tried to waken her
with no success. She awoke Friday even
ing, April 13, and did not faint as usual.
but Immediately inquired for her sister
Katie, and begged that they would not let
her go 10 sleep again, lest she never wake.
She was very weak, unable to help herself
She remained awake for one week. when
she fell asleep again and slept three DAYS.
She then remained without sleep night or
day for ten days, when, on May z, she sank
into sleep again, sleeping three days and
four nights.
VERY MYSTERIOUS.
The village newspaper of June %. 1888
says:
The physician was sent for in great haste on
Friday evening, June Is, and found Emma in
severe cramps, with an almost death-like ap-
pearance and vomiting green mass. with eyery
appearance of having taken poison. He adj
ministered emetics and relieved her TO some
extent when he aseertained the following story:
About an hour previous two men appeared at
the house and asked to see Mrs. AIthouse
claiming that her physician had sent them
Upon this statement they were admitted, and
allowed to see the sick woman One of them
engaged her in conversation while the other sat
near small stand upon which stood several
vials of medicine and a cup nearly full
of coffee and milk, from which the
patient had been drinking from time
to time. The sister remaining in the room saw
the man handling the vials and cup in an inno-
cent sort Of way. Soon after the men left and
Emma beng thirsty asked for drink. Her