The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-25
SLEEPING WONDERS.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED TO OUT
DO RIP VAN WIN.>LE.
A French Woman Who Slept fear-A
Little German Girls Nap OF Eight
Nnnth.-A sun-troke Results In Marco
lep-y and Finally Brain Fever.

DR. Hlanchet. tho great French specialist,
mentions three cases which ho considered bc-
yond the ordinary, a complete account OF
these may bc found In The Colpet..s Rendus
of 1864 In the first OF the cas- mentioned
The patient was woman. then q years Of
age Her first sleep camc on when Inc Was
about L. and lasted forty two days After
wards, for the next two years she expert
eucci no trouble in waking and Sleeping rs
ordinary folks do until after IA narrow escape
from death ia runaway accident. After
her nerves became quiet she tucked the
drapery around her bed. closed her eyes and
quietly slumbered for the next two months.
For the next four years she exhibited nc
abnormal traits Of mind or body. Every
function seemed active, and Ia no way did
she show the least traceof tendency toward
narcolepsy. All outside appearances were
dehIsive. however. por after the regular
Easter feast on Easter Sunday, let@ she ien
into profound sunber which nothing could
disturb in the least, and remained IN tina,
condition almost year, or dntu the middle
Of March, lsfi During these eleven and a
half months her complexion remained rudy
and healthy looking, notwithstanding the
fact that there was not single evacuation
Of the bowels during that period Physicians
came from far and near, every effort was
made to break the Isthargy, but all attempts
were futile. Two false front teeth were re-
moved from the patient in order to supply
her with nourshmcnt, which consisted Of
soups, milk, beef tea, etc. At last accounts
she was well, perfect in mind, with n good
prospect Of making up for the year lost in
sleep
SHE EFFECTED GRETCHEN.
In the year 1850 two wonderful cases OF
persistent narcolepsy were reported. In the
last week in January in that year the daugh
ter Of tho mayor OF Grambke, little village
near Bremen, Germany, failed 10 respond 10
tho morning call, notwithstanding vigorous
efforts Oh the part Of her sisters 10 arousl
her. At noon the father was informed, but
remarked that tho child vas tired, having
attended a village gathering tho day before
where romping was INDUCED in 20 excess.
On the morning Of the second day the father
became thoroughly alarmed aud efforts were
again made TO break the spell, but they like
those of the morning before, were unsuccess.
/ full From that time forward until about the
middle Of October, with the exception Of o
few hours OF mi-Wakefulncss, the girl con
tnued 70 slunbcr as naturally as any child
over fatigued from day Of exercise. On
the 18th day Of October, eight months and a
half having elapsed since the beginning Of
+ her unnatural sleep she aWOko and caic'
uer sisters TO help dress her, remarking, u
expcct Gretchen will be here now before
/ finish my breakfast" She ate heartily, but
{ could pot be induced 70 believe that It VA.
/ October and that little Gretchen, her play.
mate had been dead several months
The sisters OF the little sleeper remembered
/ that little Gretchen had called Oh the first
/ day Of the child's sleep Just because She had
promised her that she would when they parted
f the night before The fact that the child
/ lid not mention the prospective call from her
little friend during her moments OF seeming
wakeluiness ia April ana July gave the at
tending physicians ample room 10 question
whether shs had really been awake duriug
those semi-lucid intervals. Within few
days she was as bright and as playful as ever
seemingly mono the worse of for her eight
and a half months Of torpdity. On five diff
fcrent occasions, twice IN April and three
times in JUS, when she could break tin
/ letharuv for a few moments, she seemed a.
bright aud happy as though Ia her norma
condition; would insist OF helping sweep cog
wash dishes, but always tel asleep before the
task was c0mple,ed. The fact that She never
mentioned the names ofany Of her piaymate-
/ during these spells Of semi.wakoluluess, argue
against her really beng awake until the OctO-
/ Der morning when shc announced the pros
/ pective call from her little friend who had
died in May.
BROUGHT oN BY sUNsTRORE
+ In 1874. whuo Nathan e.. Nrocman, Of
Schenectady, Y. Y, was at work in tho har
vest field. he received severe sunsJrOke. bur
quickly recovered and was soon able % taxi
bis fork and go a-fieid As though nothing had
happened \ few days later he complained
Of dizziness, and ere long was forced To give
uD tho farm altogether lie worked in tho
car shops OF the city named above for about
two years. but was never rid Of tue feeling
OF dizziness, especially if engaged In stoop.
ing work In the six years that followed his
sunstroko be was successfully "A shOpman, q
brakeman and conductor on u freight
train. On the 18th OF February, 1880, biz
head troubled hlm more than usual, and Ia
tho afternoon he gave up bis work and took
to his bel. lie Immediately fell asleep, and
continued in that condition almost without
interruption for four weeks and three days.
lIe would eat only Oh alternate days, and
then with his eyes closed, giving no heed tc
what was going on around him. His appe
lite was fairly good for one In an inactive
state, and never FOR moment did he show
( signs OF fever OF deiirium
Towards the end OF the thirty-iirst dag
Vrocman gradually reused himself; the at
tendants chafed his arms, legs and temples
He opened his eyes, called for and ato q
hearty sCDper, impressing his attendants
with the yoraciousness of his appetite. Dur
ing the next few days he was very communi
cative, perssting IN keeping up running
conversation on all sorts OF subjects. Per
sons in the room who had known him sine
the tuno Of tho sunstroke, say that he talkeg
more during the first night Of wakefulncs
than be had during the six years preceding
he was awake almost all tho time Tor tn
next ten days and gained flesh and spirit
rapidly On the evening Of the tenth day h'
again became moroso and sleepy, took 70 hi
bed and slept almost continually for month
Then a brain foyer set in and soon put 20