The morning call., 1891-01-11
SHE is SHRINKING,
Strange Case of Girl Who Loses
Her Height and Weight.

a case which battles the oldest and most
distinguish shed of the disciples Of Ksculapius
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
TACT that they belong to one OF the old
faubourg families, the case is treated pri-
NateIy by a lew experts, in apartments
specially engaged for the extraordinary indi-
Vldual whose maady they have attempted
IN vain hitherto to check. The case is SO
remarkable one that its description seems
10 suggest the fabulous rather than the real
In the fall of 1889 the patient Miss Lee
teyre, who was young aud attractive look
ing lady about % years OF age, was taken
SICK with fever, which confined her to her
bed Tor week, after which she slowly con-
Vaiesced 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 became
slightly emaciated in appearance. She was
taken to physician, who, after thorough
examination, pronounced all the vital or
gans sound, but pronounced her disease to
be atrophy, caused, he believed, by bacilli
lie stated his belief that the disease would
locate Itself later, when he would be able to
determine better what should be done to
combat the malady. There were no rene
dies 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 height.
while her waist measure had decreased but
one lnch. This remarkable fact was first
discovered by the length OF her dresses
winch the young lady at first thought had
Increased. Upon measuring herself it was
| found, however, that instead Of an Increase
| IN the dress 1t was decrease in her own
stature.
Since the discovery of this remarkable
TACT the decrease in size of the patient has
continued with clock-like regularity. and.
remarkably enough. has been accompanied
by no pain whatever. On the contrary the
young lady seems to have completely recov-
cred her vIvaeity, and to be stronger than
she was ever known to be before. To her
CONSERVATION and the surprise of her physi-
clans, however, she seems to be resolved to
entirely undo the work Of the years which
were occupied in growing up.
On the 18th OF November, which was a
little over year from the time when the
symptoms of her disease first manifested
themselves, Miss Lefeyre weighed eighty
nVe pounds, having lost exactly thirty
pounds in the interval. From being young
lady feet inches in height she had de-
scended to feet 6 inches, losing in the
twelve months just ten inches in stature,
with corresponding decrease in measure
ments elsewhere. IL is found however that
the wasting process decreases in speed and
on this account some of the physicians are
inclined to think the atrophy, or whatever
1t is, viii cease at a certain stage.
Others can see no reason why the myS-
ferrous wasting should not continue unlil
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 remarkable
feature of the case is the absences of any
manifestations of SPECIFIC or acute disease
although an analysis of the patients blood
shows the presence of microbes of a charac-
Ter which seem as yet TO have received no
classification. In appearance Miss Lefebre
now resembles healthy, well-formed girl
OF II or IA years, although her cOuntenance
would probably indicate that her age was
signify IN excess of early maidenhood.
should the wasting continue unpre vented it
WIN be interesting to note how m mute a
human creature can become and still retain
all the faculties of an ordinary being. AS
the microscOpical woman Miss Lefeyre
would doubtless make an interesting fea
ture Of freak exhibition, although there is
no chance Of such possibility Science.
however, should lose no opportunity to in,
vestigate this remarkable phenomenon.
which, SO far as known, has never had a
parallel.