St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-30
A Patient at the City Hospital
Puzzles Attendant Ply
Sicians.
His Ailment and His Person
atty Are Alike a Sealed Q
Book. +
The Court Sustains a De.
muprer in One Bushnell 2
Suit. 81
At Last the Russell Clay Case
Reversed by the Supreme i
Court.

Lying upon COT aG Tic Guy HOSplIdl
| is man whose disease is an enigma to
| the attending physicians of the institu-
| ton. On the evening of the 21St of the
month police officer found man lying
on the corner of Seventh and Minnesota
streets. Thinking the man was
very drunk the policeman rang
for the patrol wagon and sent
him to police headquarters. Men
who are in state of drunken insensi-
bility usually give some indication of
the cause of their trouble by the odor of
liquor. butin this case DO such sign was
present. A reporter for the GLOBE who
saw the man suggested that 4 doctor be
sent for, which was done, and when the
medico arrived he looked puzzled, and
ordered the man to be sent to the city
hospital. On arriving at that inStitu-
ton the unconscious man was stripped
and bathed from head to foot. After being
put to bed he opened his eyes, but there
was no look of recognition IN them.
He had slight wound on the forehead
over the right eye, evidently the result
of blow or fall. and when this was be-
ing dressed ne gave indications of
knowledge Of the affair by mumbling to
himself. The doctors were at q loss to
diagnose the case, and though the Symp-
toms were those of epilepsy, yet other
conditions contrOverted such an opinion.
His case has been carefully watched,
but just what is the exact trouble can
not by learned.
a GLOBE reporter visited the hospital
last evening and gained much informa-
ton from the physicians in charge rela-
tive to the case. he man cannot speak
word of English, and the orderly of
the hospital, Mr.. Nieman, who is a
thorough linguist. says that from GER
trim words that the man has uttered
that he is native of the
province of :Laibach in Austria,
where the people speak a patois
composed of Hungarian, Slav and Bo-
hemlan. The man once stated that his
name was John Novak and scrawled
his signature upon piece of paper.
His hands are callous. and indicate that
he is lumberman. de has mentioned
River Falls" and ashland" but has
never been able to talk iutelligently.
When asked ii he was married. he
would answer yes; and then asked if he
was single, he would also say yes. He
answers in the affirmative to any queS-l
ton put to HIM, and while he will
listen for minute TO what is
said to him, he will suddenly close his
eyes and become apparently uncon-
Sclous. During the time he has been i'll
the hospital he has improved somewhat,
and for a time gave considerable trou-
bic by jumping out OF bed and rushing
around the ward. For the past two
days he has been very quiet, though
when the doctors try to rouse him he
will essay TO fight, and it takes conSid-
cradle strength TO hold him down.,
Ii he man is suffering from
epilepsy he would be able
after the severe symptoms OF the fit.
such as sudden Inconsistencies and
convulSive motions of the muscles, be
able TO talk nationally. But from the
time he has been brought to the hospital
he has not had a fit, showing that if he
Is an epiieptic that he is only attacked
at long intervals.
Father Staricha, of st. James German
churcA. who comes from the province of
Lajbach, has called at tAe hospital to
see the man at>the request of the doe
tors, who hoped that if the NAN heard
his native tongue that he would be able
to give some Information about himself,
especially as to the frequency of the at
tackS. The priest, however, could not
get the man To talk nationally.
Last evening, when seen by GLOBE
reporter, "Novak" was lying On his
face. and when the orderly spoke to
him in his own language ne refused to
look up. When turned on his side he
struggled violently, and a wild look
came into his eyes. He would not
answer any questions put to him, and
when the doctors released their hold he
turned over on his face. He has, dur
ing the last few days, taken food, which
at Iirst he refused. The doctors are
anxious 10 find out something about his
previous history, both for the benefit
of the man and science also.
One theory expressed is that the man.if
an epileptlc, has injured his brain while
falling in a fit, but there is no sign OF
any external fracture upon the skull,
beyond the abrasion on the temple
The case is one Of the most remarkable
which has ever been brought TO the hos
pital, and developments will be care
fully watched by the attending staff of
physicians.