Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-23
TALKED HIMSELF OUT
A Young Smithfield Street Barber
Loses the Power of Speech, and
REMAINS DUMB FOR TWO WEEKS.
Excessive Worrying Causes an Unusual Af-
fection of the Brain.
HE REGAINS HIS VOICE As SUDDENLY

A very strange case of temporary total
loss of speech occurred in this city two weeks
ago to-day. The victim has just recovered
his power to talk, and is SO delighted that
he declares he will never do it again until
Pat Foley is elected Mayor of Pittsburg.
The victim is a young barber. whose shop,
a large and well-conducted one, is located on
Smithfeld street. He is known to all his
friends as a good taiker, even among bar
bers, who have been somewhat noted, ever
since the days when Abraham shaved the
men Of Heth on a deal relating to a cave, OF
well site, or gas lease, or something of that
sort, for their loquacious abilities.
The young barber in question, two weeks
ago to-day, received sudden mental shock.
A friend, whom he had known for many
years, and IN whom ne had placed the
utmost confidence, betrayed him in the most
atrocious manner.
UTTERLY KNOCKED OUT.
The barber walked the streets for several
hours, meeting in that time q number of
friends and conversing with them. The
writer encountered him and asked him if
he was ill. He looked haggard, and was
very pale. He told what had occurred in q
few words.
Five minutes later the young barber en-
tered messenger Office in Diamond street
to send a message to friend. 1t was there
that he discovered that he could not say
word. He was so overcome that he fell into
a chair and the perspiration came out upon
his forehead. He took a piece OF paper,
wrote what he desired and sent it. A
friend, entering, learned his dilemma and
took him home.
For two weeks the young man was speech
less. He attended, after rest at home of
two days. to his shop, carrying with him
always small writing tablet, on which he
wrote what he desired to tell his employees
and friends.
HE COULD ONLY MOAN.
For the first few days, when he endeav-
ored to speak, he could not open his lips
and was unable to utter any sound except
low moan. Gradually he became able to
part his lips little and to make
not articulate word. A close
listener could discern, at times, an ap-
proach to the proper sound of word.
For instance, when he tried to say lone
minute he would be able. by extreme
efforts of his facial muscles, to make a sound
like ''min." He had no difficulty in writ
ing whatever he wished, being at no loss for
the proper words. He complained, at the
beginning of the trouble, of severe pains in
his heart
A physician, who was consulted on the
case. said: "There are two kinds of
paralysis of speech. In one case the muscles
are paralyzed so that the organs of articula-
tion will not obey the will. This may be
caused either by a severe mental shock, by
rheumatism or a weakness of the heart.
A BRAIN AFFECTION.
''The other kind is more likely to be per-.
manent and less susceptible to cure. It is
an affection of the brain, the disease touch.
ing that part OF the brain where the speech
is operated, to use a homely phrase. In
some cases the man cannot speak at all,
simply because he has forgotten words. He
is simply in the condition of a man who
knows no spoken language In other cases,
he can employ words, but he has no notion
whatever Of the meaning of the words which
he utters.
"Such mar, might meet you on the street
and intend to say, with the best of inten-
tions, How do you do?' But, instead of that,
he is likely to utter, GO to the dickens or
You are fool Such cases battle, fire.
quently, the skill of the best physician, be-
cause the brain is affected in its interior,
where medical treatment cannot reach it."
RECEIVERS HIS SPEECH.
Yesterday afternoon the speechless young
barber, who has for a fortnight been the vic
tim of deep despair because he was unable
to say Shampoo" or 'Trim up your hair
a Iittle?" was carefully engaged in shaving
a placid customer, when his colored shop
boy dropped a bottle of the best bay rum.
The boy yelled, the barber jumped foot,
nearly dropped his razor, and shouted at the
lad an ejaculation which was not only ar
ticulate, but emphatic and to the point.
Since that moment he has been able to talk
as we'll as anybody.