The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-13
ten SECONDS TOO LATE.
The Peculiar Afliction Of q
Wealthy Gentleman Of New
York City.
An Accident on the Railroad
Has Set His Nerves All
AWTy.
So He Goes Through Life Some Distance
Ahead Of His Thoughts and
Speech.

Ahead OF His Thoughts ana
Speech.
was walking down Forty-seventh street
the other day, says a writer in the New
York Press, attentively regarding Jay
Gould's new parlor curtains, when the door
of house very near his opened, and fine
looking, middle-aged gentleman stepped
out, walked deliberately to the edge Of the
brown-stone steps, and fell headlong into
the street. An instant later colored man
rushed out of the house, ran down the
steps, and lifted the fallen one. saying az
he did so: .'You should not venture out
alone, sir. You know you have fallen 20
many times.'' Now this was more remark
able than the fact that Jay Gould had new
window-curtains, 20 at once transferred
my attention. Was the man drunk No;
that could not be; there was no sign Of it
about him. Was he an invalidY Surely
not, with such color and such q physique.
All, had it. He was victim Of the dis
ease called locomotor ataxia, 30 named. a
fippant medical student once said, 'be-
cause when it attacks you you can't loco
mote" But when the gentleman began to
ascend the steps he walked with step that
was perfectly firm and steady. though very
deliberate.
Twas wrong again, for people afflicted
wobbly. uncertain gait that is painful By
this time the object of my attention had
entered the house. the door was closed, and
az there was nothing particularly communi-
cative about tho closed front Of q stone
house was not likely to have my curiosity
satisfied. But fortune favofs even the
ubiquitous news-gatherer sometimes. Az I
stood waiting-I knew not for what-a car
riage drove up, doctors carriage, and
from it stepped the eminent physician, DR..
Davis, man skilled above his fellows
in the treatment OF nervous diseases.
The next day, during the DOCTORS first
Office hour, called upon him. The learned
man was very non-committal until ex-
planned to him that had at one time been
a student Of medicine. and was therefore
entitled to know whatever he could toll me
that would be of benefit. Thus treasured
DR.. Davis proceeded to explain the nature
OF the patients strange malady.
1T 10 case Of great. interest,"" said he,
"to every man in the profession who knows
on record that is the least like 1t. The dis
ease of this gentleman, whom will call
Mr.. Andrews, is an affection Of the nervous
system resulting. from injuries received
years ago in railway accident. It is of a
nature that has no parallel in medical his
tory. Those nerves which telegraph to the
brain the sensations Of touch, taste, smell.
hearing and sight are 20 deranged that the
transmission of sense is not, as in a healthy
person, instantaneous. As nearly as We can
calculate five seconds elapse before Mr..
five seconds more before he can make any
'sThe medical man is baffied in this case,
for the reason that this affection manifests
that require conscious direction from the
brain. Actions which are termed involun~s
\ tary, such az winking or gaping, are per-
formed the same as BY we'll person; and
that makes it q question Of whether it 10 the
are affected. Nj. Andrews Is in perfect
physical condition. He eats heartily, sleeps
\ well, and has an unimpaired digestion,
Nor is he fully alive to the terrible posi-
bilities Of his condition. Think of going
through life ten seconds ahead of yourselfi
There ID scarcely any calculating the things
which might happen.
''Mr. Andrews is a rich man, fortunately,
and therefore can keep an attendant con-
stantly with him, 80 that as yet he has ex-
Perienced no serious injury. He never
or danger. As in the case of his falling
down the steps when his belated sight de-
ceived him, Just 90 il is when cab or car
approaches him. He neither sees nor hears
them until five seconds after any one else
would, and it ie another five seconds before
he can guide his movements by means of
thought and get away. When he is walk
ing the action becomes mechanical, but he
is constantly ahead of where he seems to be
and, in order to find out exactly where he
When he converses with those about him
It is very peculiar fact that, when ques-
ton is put to him, it is ten seconds before
he responds.
"Now this might be very embarrassing.
suppose, for instance: that he were a
should have wooed 90 we'll that the lady
should request him to kiss her. What lover
IL there who would allow such q request to
await fulfillment for a whole one-sixth of q
mlnute1 Suppose, on the other hand, q
fore he would have the power Of preventing
him or before he could give any alarm the
thief might be far and away; indeed, he
Knight be away before the man could know
that he had been robbed. In the Same way
an snemyIfor everybody has enemies
his I'LL Of satisfaction, and escape. friend
|salntes him on the street, but he does not
see the salutation until it ie too late to re-
|spond, and of course the friend thinks he
| has been snuObed.
his accident he used to attend the theater.
His taste was for comic opera and melo-
drama. But he does not 60 any more. The
peculiar manifestations of his malady |
caused much embarrassment to his friends |
Jokes and ludicrous situations came to him |
Just ten seconds after everybody else. His |
hearty laugh would not be noticed in gem
sral chorus. But his explosive In has
when the audience was quiet were startling.
+ Of Classification and swallowing are per
Horned in natural manner, because they
are mechanical; but when he selects his |
food, and in using the knife and fork, these |
ten second pauses are very noticeable"
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