The record-union., 1891-01-19
SHE IS SHRINKING.
Strange Case of Girl Who Loses Her
HEIGHT and Weipllt

Height and Weight.
A case which battles the oldest and
most distinguished of the disciples of
Esculapius is now being treated in one
OF the principal hospitals here, says the
Paris correspondent of the New York
Mercury. Owing to the wealth of the
PATIENTS relatives, and the fact that they
belong to one of the old faubourg families,
the case is treated privately by a few ex-
perts, III apartments specially engaged for
the extraordinary individual whose mall
ady they have attempted in vain hitherto
to check. The case is so remarkable a
one that its description seems to suggest
the fabulous rather than the real.
In the fall of 1889 the patient, Miss Lee
fevre, who was young and attractive
looking lady about % years of age, was
taken sick with a fever, which confined
her to her bed for week, after which she
slowly convalesced and resumed her
normal health.
A short time later she commenced to
complain of strange pains in her bones
and throughout her body, and she be-
came slightly emaciated in appearance.
She was taken to a physician, who, after
q thorough examination, pronounced all
the vital organs sound, but pronounced
her disease to be atrophy, caused, he be-
lieved, by bacilli. He stated his belief
that the disease would locate itself later.
ter what should be done to combat the
malady. There were no remedies applied
except an ordinary tonic, which was
given merely with the hope of toning up
the system generally. 1t was found that
in two months the patient had lost about
ten pounds in weight and the decrease
had not taken place in the usual manner,
the lady having lost two inches in her
hight, while her waist measure had de-
creased but one inch. This remarkable
fact was first discovered by the length of
her dresses, which the young lady at first
thought had increased. Upon measuring
herself it was found, however, that in
stead OF an increase in the dress it was
decrease in her own stature.
Since the discovery of this remarkable
fact the decrease in size of the patient
has continued with a clock-like regu-
larity, and, remarkable enough, has been
accompanied by no pain whatever. On
the contrary, the young lady seems to
have completely recovered her vivacity,
and to be stronger than she was ever
known to be before. To her consterna-
ton and the surprise of her physicians,
however, she seemed resolved to entirely
undo the work of the years which were
occupied in growing up.
On the 18th of November, which was q
little over year from the time when the
symptoms of her disease first manifested
five pounds, having lost exactly thirty
five pounds in the interval. From being
young lady four feet four inches in
hight she had descended to three feet six
inches, losing in the twelve months just
ten inches in stature, with a correspond
ing decrease in measurements elsewhere.
1t was found, however, that the wasting
process decreases in speed, and on this
account some of the physicians are in
clined to think the atrophy, or whatever it
is, Will cease at a certain stage.
Others can see no reason why the myS-
teriouS wasting should not continue until
ultimately Miss Lefevre altogether disap-
pears, which she should do in about four
years, according to the computations of
one of the physicians. The most remark
able feature of the case is the absence of
any manifestations of specific or acute
disease, although an analysis of the pa
tents blood shows the presence of mi
crobes of character which seem as yet
to have received no classification. In ap-
pearance Miss Lefevre now resembles
healthy, well-formed girl OF II or II years,
although her countenance would prob
ably indicate that her age was slightly in
excess of early maidenhood. Should the
wasting continue unprevented, it will be
interesting to note how minute human
creature can become and still retain all
the faculties of an ordinary being. AS
the microscopical woman, Miss Lefevre
would doubtless make an interesting feat
ture of a freak exhibition, although there
is no chance of such possibility. Science,
however, should lose no opportunity to
investigate this remarkable phenomenon,
which, so far as known, has never had
nara1lpi