Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-02-28
A BLOOD THIRST.
Abnormal Appetite Developed in
a Texan Girl.
Periodically Afflicted With a
Craving for the Life Fluid.

A malady of the most remarkable and
distressing nature has recently attacked
the young daughter of Winthrop Davis
who owns one of the largest saw-mills
in this vicinity, says the Atlanta (Tex)
correspondent of the Philadelphia
Times. The young lady IS in her 10th
year, and, when in her normal health,
of an amiable, rather shrinking dispo-
sition, and possessed of no small claim
to beauty, besides being intelligent and
we'll advanced in her studies. About
three months ago she fell into low,
melancholy state, and displayed sim
gular aversion to all society, refusing
entirely to converse at times and exhib-
iting sullen, angry disposition when
questioned or demonstrated with.
All food was rejected for several days
until a piece of freshly-killed beef was
accidentally brought into her presence,
when she thre W herself upon it with all
the savage greediness of a famished ami
NAL, and began to tear and rend it with
her teeth, sucking the blood with
shocking relish for the yet warm fluid.
Since then, at periods ranging from
three to seven days, she is seized with
the same thirst for blood, and when
brought in sight of it will drink it with
avidity, in spite of all efforts made to
restrain her. Such efforts are attended
with much danger, for during these at
tacks she fails to recognize even the
members of the family, and will snap
and bite savagely at anyone attempting
to molest her.
Her entire appearance undergoes
change, her usually gentle expression
becoming inhumanly ferocious. her
eyes bloodshot and glaring, while her
jaws snap furiously and she keeps up
hideous snarling and growing. Her
face becomes suffused with blood and
her hair bristles on her heal like that of
an angry animal. Once satiated with
blood she falls into deep sleep, as if
from intoxication, and in awakening
seems to have no remembrance whatever
of her singular attack and is once more
her quiet, lady-like self, only complain
ing of severe headache, which frequently
lasts until her next seizure.
Physicians who have seen her are at
al oss to account for the cause of her
malady and have, up to the present,
failed entirely to relieve her. By the
advice of several, attempts have been
made to keep her from the sight of
blood, but the result is so distressing
that it is now thought best to allow her
to crafty her unnatural thirst. Unable
to do so otherwise, she attacked her
own flesh, tearing it without any ap-
parent pain and sucking the blood with
avidity.
On another occasion, when seemingly
at herself, her attention was attracted
to younger brother, who, having cut
his hand, entered the house for the pur-
pose of having the bleeding cash DO und
up. She instantly leaped across the
room and without warning seized the
boys hurt hand in her mouth and bit
him to the bone. 1t was only with the
greatest difficulty that she could be made
to release him, and when finally forced
to let go gave vent to her rage in hoarse
cries, or rather screams, like wild
beast cheated of its prey.
Mr.. Davis and his wife are persons OF
education and refinement, and profess
themselves entirely unable to account
for their daughters peculiar affl.c;ion,
as on both sides for generations there
has never been any intemperancc or
mental disease.