Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-02-21
HI GIRL.
Susie Godsey, of Tennessee, Sleeps
twenty-five Years. and
Dies Sleeping.

'''ifNi''itt't' ~ '"F 49,
MfxIco, Mo, February l2.-The
remarkable case of Susie GodSey,
the '%'sleeping girl' of Tennessee,
which is reported in the St. Louis
Republic ofthe 18th inst, came I'M
der my personal observation in the
wear 1868 and [ can confederate
every statement made by the cor
respondent of that paper, as I was
at that time engaged in the prac-
tice of medicine in Union City, a
thriving railroad town in Obion
county, West Tennessee l was
also intimately acquainted with
Col. c. n. Gibbs, a leading lawyer
of that place, whose name is men
toned in the narrative referred to
in the Republic. The parents of
this girl resided about ten miles
distant from Union City and within
four or five miles of Troy, the
county seat of Obion county. Hen
ry Godsey, the father of the girl,
was the owner of a small farm and
a large family of children, most of
which were girls. Susie was n
of the younger children and was
considered the brightest and pref
Itiest of the whole number up to
about her tenth year. At this age,
she n day accompanied her
mother to town on horseback and
both were caught in a cold, drench-
ing rain, which threw Susie into a
severe chill. On reaching home, a
physician was called in, who found
her with a high fever and delirious.
While under treatment she passed
into a deep sleep and remained so
for several days, during which
time the family thought her dead
and made preparations for her
burial. A close examination made
by physicians saved her from be
ing buried alive. The girls moth
err always attributed the sleeping
condition of her daughter to the
treatment used by the attending
physician. After a sleep of a few
DAYS, Susie awoke rational, ate a
little food. made no complaint OF
pain and in the course of an hour
dropped off into deep sleep again
For months and even years after
this she slept continually, with the
exception of a few minutes of wake
~fulness at irregular periods about
twice in every t~wenty-four hours.
when food would be given her
Finally, the periods of wakefulness
became so short and so irregular IL,
their returns that an almost con
slant watch was necessary in order
to administer food and drink. All
efforts to awaken her, or to prevent
her falling asleep, were ofno avail.
This condition of things, with little,
if any variation, had continued for
about ten years previous to the
time above mentioned. Every
conceivable plan of treatment had
been adopted by home physicians.
as well as by the best skill abroad,
but all to no purpose. At about
the age of 10, money was raised by
sympathizirg friends and the CIR
was taken by her father to St.
Louis for treatment. None of the
most experienced physicians could
say they had ever seen a like case
before and after exhaustlng all the
electricity in ano around the city
on this poor girl, she was sent
home by the doctors "worse of the
wear Sometime after this,
money was again raised and SUSIE
was sent to Nashville, Tenn, to
be examined by the world renown.
ed Prof. Paul F. Eve. My recol.
lection is that Prof. Eve heard the
whole history of the case, made 8
thorough examination OF the girl.
bu+ did not prescribe for her at all,
| think this was the last effor'
ever made to relieve the poor girl:
terrible malady. She continued in
the condition above described
year after year, with no pereepti
BILE change for the better at any
time, and finally, as | was reliably
informed, died in her sd year o
age, while asleep. At the time ]
knew the case, the wakeful period,
were returning regularly every day
at eleven O'Clock in the mernin,
and at about the same time a
|. night, lasting from thirty to sixty
minutes. Several different show
! men offered Mr.. Godsey larg,
sums of money for the privilege o
taking his daughter on exhibition