St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-16
PUZZLES THE MEOICS
Mrs. Edward Day a Conun-
drum to the Most Skillful
Physicians,
Relapsing and Remaining for
Weeks in Hypnotic Con-
dition,
During Which She Utterly Re-
fuses to Recognize Her
Own Identity.
Bound for Boston to 8, Placed
Under the Care OF a
Specialist.

AAo sAAS AoAiJ NSAt
Prof. Ii. G. Hallett, of Boston, Mass.
and her husband, Edward Day, of Han.
cock. Prior to her marriage year age
Mrs. Day was Miss Caroline Stokes,
OF MarshalltOwn, 10. She was at tha
time regarded by her family as con
tlrmed somnambulist, and it was neceS-
sary to watch her closely to prevent
a harmful result following hel
nocturnal expeditions. All sorts
of methods were reSorted to in the hope
OF etfecting cure. but without result.
Miss Stokes would. while sleeping
deliberately and carefully remove the
instructions she herself had assisted
to put in place, and continue her
nightly walks as though the way had
been clear. This seemingly incurabIe
tendency was the cause of much yeya
ton to the family, and it was with
qualification that they saw her married
to Mr.. Day, at that time wealthy
farmer of WaSeca county. The reasons
Tor special JOY at the contamination OF
the alliance were that the doctors en-.
gagged on Miss Stokes case had united
in asserting that the altered con-
ditions of welded life would in all
probability result in complete
cure, such having been the expert
ence of medical men in similr cases.
Subsequent developments, however,
prove that, much as science has devel-
oped from its research in such cases.
but little is actually known by the great
body OF practicing physicians.
In One Particular
the opinion of the MarShalltown experts
proved correct. Mrs. Day never walked
III her sleep after marriage, but while
formerly she had been brilliant and
cheerful in her disposition, she now be-
came moody and respondent. The
husband endeavored TO discover cause
for this, but the only reply from his
wife was that her head ached continu-
ally, and she had lost all inclination to
sleep. In fact, Mr.. Day asserts that, in
a space of two months after marriage,
his wife was totally unable to
from long periods of wakefulness.
This sort of thing continued for six
months, all the efforts of local medical
experts being useless, when, on the
morning of Oct. Is last, there devel-
oped new phrase of the malady which
nonpluSsed the local medlcos. and
caused Mr.. Day to have his wife exam
lned by an expert on insanity. This
gentleman DIR. Howard Landon, of
Chicago pronounced her entirely sane,
but could not account for her state
ments. which confiicted wildly with
those of her husband. On the morning
referred to above Mr.. Day arose, leav-
ing his wife still asleep. He noticed,
he says, that her face seemed terribly
Old in its expression as she lay asleep,
but attributed the cause to the suffering
she had undergone. Since their re-
naval Innnnniy ia, =.
months ago, the Days had kept only
a few hogs and COW. Mr.. Day went
from the house to the barn, MIXED the
COW and, returning to the room in which
he had left his sleeping wife, found her
awake. She screamed violently as he
entered, and pulling the bedciothes
about her babe him leave the room in
stantly. How dare he enter a lady'S
sleeping apartments, and so on.
whats the matter Clarag" he asked,
don't you know me? l am your husband,
Edward
Don't attempt to impose on me. sir" she
replied. Il never saw you before. My name
IS not Clara; it is Margaret; and 1 never saw
you before in my lite
The husband endeayored to
Sit on the Bedside
and reason with his wife, but she
screamed so loudly that he was forced
to withdraw. Several doctors were sent
for, but they had never seen a parallel
case. Mrs. Day was questioned, and
she stated that her name was Margaret
Hill. She lived on Chestnut street.
Philadelphia, and could not account for
her present situation. She was con-
WINGED that she had been drugged.
When told that her maiden name had
been Stokes. and that she lived at Mar
shalltown, the woman laughed in the
faces of her informants, then crying
bitterly, protested that every one seemed
In league against her. DR.. Fleming.
one of the attendant physicians, asked
her how old she was, and she replied
without an instant's hesitation, fifty six.
she is III reality only tWenty-fOur.
'how long did you liYe in Philadelphia
was asked
Il was born there. and always lived there /"
DO you remember your parents?''
mo They died before l was old enough
to recognize them
Nv ere you ever married?"
NO. sir, and never intend to marry"
Dr. Fleming then endeavored by rea-
soning with the lady to make her recall
to memory her Marshalltown home, her
parents, her courtship days, and the
school she attended in her earlier life,
but it was useless; the whole period
was blank to her; she was Margaret
Hill, aged fitty-siX, residence Philadei-
phia, and no other.
Mrs. Day had to be forcibly restrained
from leaving the house. and taking a
train for Philadelphia. She remained
Practically Prisoner
in her own house. speaking Oh all sub
jects except that of her life history in a
perfectly rational manner, Arising and
retiring at the usual hours, and Fefus-
ing to exchange word on any subject
with her husband. This state of things
continued for three weeks, when one
morning, to the surprise and Joy of the
eXiled husband, he awOke to hear his
wlfe calling him in natural voice. He
nastened TO her room, to find her again
in her right mind. She could not he
persuaded but that Mr.. Day had lust
got through milking the COW, and be-
came indignant when an attempt was
made to convince her that the month
was November, and that she had
been in condition of delirium
for three weeks. AS the facts became
plain to her, however, she brOoded over
them, and after week of life as the
wife of Edward Day awoke again one
morning as Margaret bill, spinster. of
Philadelphia.
Dr. Fleming was again summoned,
He told Day that he regarded the dis
case as purely mental one, and hest
tated to prescribe for the lady. He
undertook to bring the case to the notice
of DR.. Richard Hodgson, of Boston, one
OF the most noted men in this country
IN hypnotic science. The case was
written in detail by DR.. Fleming and
forwarded to Boston. 1t presented so
many unusual features that the scien-
fist opened
Lively Correspondence
on the subject and ended by dispatch
ing Prof. Hallett. also student OF the
science of hypnotism, to examine the
case personally. The result of the ex-
animation, communicated TO Prof. Hodg-