Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-01-17
A BLOODTHIRSTY GIRL.
THE HORRIBLE APPETITE PERI.
ODICALLY DEVELOPED IN A
USUALLY GENTLE, AMIABLE
VOTING LADY.

USUALLY GENTLE, AMIABLE
YOUNG LADY.
a malady of most remarkable
and distressing nature, writes
correspondent of the Philadelphia
Times from Atlanta, Texas, has
has recently attacked the young
daughter of Winthrop Davis, who
owns one of the largest saw mills
in this vicinity. The young lady
is in her sixteenth year, and when
in her normal health of an amiable
rather shrinking, disposition and
possessed of no small claim tC
beauty, besides being intelligent
and we'll advanced in her studies
About three months ago she fell
into low, melancholy state, and
displayed Il singular aversion TO al
society, refusing entirely to con
verse at times and exhibiting q
sulen. angry disposition wher
questioned or demonstrated with
All food WAS rejected for several
days, until piece of freshly-kllIed
beef was accidentally brought into
her presence, when she threw her
self upon it with all the savage
greediness of a famished animal,
and began to tear and rend it with
her teeth, sucking the blood with
a relish. Since then, a. periods
varying 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 re.
strain her. Such efforts aIe at
tended with much danger, for
during these attacks she fails to
recognize even tue members of her
family, and will snap and bite at
any one attempting to molest her.
Her entire appearance undergoes
a change, her usually gentle ex'
preston becoming lnhumanly fero-
cious, her eyes bloodshOt and
glaring, while her jaws snap furi
ously and she keeps up a hideons
snarling and growing. Her face
becomes suffused with blood and
her hair bristles on her head like
that of an angry animal. Once
satiated with blood she falls into a
deep sleep, as if from intoxication,
and on awakening seems to have
no remembrance whatever OF her
singular attack, and Is once more
her quiet. lady.like self, only COM
planning of severe headache, which
frequently lasts until her next
seizure.
Physicians who have seen her
are at a loss 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,
bat 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 at
tackled her own flesh, tearing il
without ony apparent pain and
sucking the blood.
On another occasion, when
seemingly herself, her attendance
was attracted to younger brother,
who, having cut his hand, entered
the house for the purpose of haV
ing the bleeding cash bound 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
hun, and, when finally forced to
let go, gave vent to her rage In
hoarse CRIES or rather screams, like
a wild beast cheated of Its prey.
Mr. Davis and his wife are per.
sons of education and refinement
and profess themselves entirely
unable to account for their daugh'
ter's affection, as on both sides fol
generations there has never been
auy lntemperance or mental dis