The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-18
A GIRL WHO HIBERNATES.
Curious Phenomenon Reported From til
South-Stories of Emily Bacon.

Curious Phenomenon Reported From the
South-Stories of Emily Bacon.
A letter from Mt. Auburn, Ala, says:
"Miss Emily Bacon, the daughter of awell-
known merchant of this town, exhibits
most peculiar phase of nature in her physi-
cal constitution. In the spring and summer
months the young lady is full of life, is
cheerful to gayety and of blooming
beauty but with the decay of nature in the
autumn she will lose her spirits and rosy
flush of health, and gradually sink into
helpless torpor or stupor, which seems to be
not 80 much drowsiness as an actual hi
formation.
This stupor grows heavier as winter ad-
vanoes, oyerpowering her almost COM
pletely at mid-winter. She shows dispo-
sition to creep away in some dark place, and
cannot be induced to converse or take
more than moments notice of anything,
lapsing back after every attempt to arouse
her into state of semi-somnolence, rs if
under the influence of powerful opiate be-
ginning to operate.
"She will take food at rare intervals if it
is forced on her. but if it is not brought
win evince no desire for it. Thinking, per-
haps, to awaken her dormant senses by
hunger, her family have tried leaving her
WlCuOuG OUeTCu 1OUO uut4As AchIluk 6u0
would die of inanition, as she did not even
appear to miss the food, they were obliged
to minister to her. She drinks but little
water, and that but rarely, going in search
of it, however, when she does want it. She
is perfectly amiable and very docile. and
when prevented from secreting herself will
remain sitting or reclining as placed, bnt
without apparently any interest whatever
in the matter. She will reply in monosyl-
tables if directly and emphatically ad-
dressed, seeming to arouse herself with diff
fculty from her comatose state. But,
though to all appearances SO drowsy, she
seldom sleeps soundly for more than few
minutes at time.
During this period of torpidity she does
not, as might be expected, become attenu-
ated and exhausted, but continues well and
strong. although pallor. which is not that
of ill-health, however, marks her counten-
ance, and a GOODNESS. and blue appearance
as of congested blood. i'll her hand and feet,
with sort of clammy persplration all over
her body. When rigns of spring begin to
appear she gradually begins to assume her
vivacity and to take on interest in life. 1t
is then that she shows great taste for eat
ing the buds of flowers and tender shoots
of plants indeed subsisting almost entirely
on such, rejecting with disgust animal food
of any sort.
"rhis awakening of hers takes place i'm
perceptibly as plant might become reyital-
torpor Miss Bacon, who is a very pretty
girl of quite bright and even intellectual
turn of mind, saws she is only conscious of
an uncomfortable inclination to sleep,
against which she struggles when it first be-
gins to creep over her, though she soon
loses all desire or care for anything. She is
unable to recall whether she has any
thoughts at all after once succumbing to
the soporific influence. Her parents are
people of education and means, and are
much troubled by this peculiar Temporal
nineteenth year, but they say she has been
SO since her infancy. They have consulted
many physicians of note, who are all at a
loss to account for the case, which they
unite however, in pronouncing unique"