The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-22
IN A HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS.
The Belt Slipped It's Pulley for Seven
Months, Then Came Back.
From the Netp York Sun.


the mort remarkable cases known to med
ical science in recent years is that Of the
| illuess and recovery Of Il. +. Wheeler of
| Brooklyn, N. Y, for the past few weeks a
resident Of Ridgefeld. the home of his
uncle, G. Fl. jennings. Cases like that Of
/ young Wheeler are not unknown in med
zeal annals, and in the present instance
there are details quite as singular as any
| upon record.
| II. F. Wheeler, o young man of 90
years, was In comparatively good health
| until the latter part of-October, 1891, when
he had severe attsck Of pneumonia, which
| confined him to the house for few weeks.
| He recovered sufficiently to be able 10 go to
! New Cork occasionally, and, except for
worriment over inability to attend to bust
ness regularly, he appeared to be all right
until Dec. Is. 1891. eight months ago.
On that day he went to New York and re-
turned home by the elevated road; there
after, until o'clock on July 20, 1899, his
whole existence was blank; what happened
he knows only through the accounts given
| him by his friends. He entered his fathers
house at 40I Washington avenue, Brook
| Ign, about o'clock p. M, and sat down in
the parlor. The first signs of something
wrong with him observed by the family
were violent tremors, which finally culmi-
I -
! threw himself to the floor, He appeared to
understand nothing that was said 60 him,
| and the physicians who we're called in could
do nothing but give quieting medicines.
| The real cause OF the trouble was q mys-
terry, but the illness was finally diagnosed
| as cerebro- meningitis.
At first the case seemed hopeless For
| two or three days the patient was seemingly
unconscious, not recognizing any member
OF the family or being able TO utter a word.
| Then he became somewhat better, but could
not speak, and could make his wants known
only by signs. This state continued for
about two weeks. when he began to talk
but like an infant just learning TO speak,
and he did not know the name of anything
or its use. The most familiar objects, such
as chairs, knives, forks, aud other things,
were entirely strange to his perception, and
! he had TO have their use explained 10 him.
All knowledge that he had possessed upon
| the day that he was attacked had left him.
He was confined to his bed for about three
months. and then was able to sit up in q
chair without being dressed. From this
paint his physical recovery was steady
though slow. All the while he failed to
recognize any Of his old friends, and when,
| for the first time, his strength permitted
| that he should be taken to a window he did
not know what the trees were; horses and
carriages caused him the utmost astonish-
ment, and the sight Of passing people drew
from him expressions Of wonder.
Thereafter, when old friends called to see
him, though strange to him at first, on the
second visit he always remembered them.
He now began to exhibit some remarka Die
traits, such as telling the time of day with
out seeing clock: in fact, to have looked
at dial would not have helped him, for he
had not yet learned to read the face of a
clock Yet If asked the time of day he
yuOuI1 ryix 70 iabI
within a minute or two of the correct time,
to the great astonishment of the family.
One day he asked for board, signifying
that he wanted to make something. a
board and a sharp knife were given him.
He did not know the name of what he
wished to make, but, taking his father to
the window, be waited for a wagon to come
along, then said In his Childish way: me
do make one of dose tings dat go wound"
"Do you mean a wheelp his father asked.
Greatly pleased that he had found
name for what he wanted, the young man
answered.:
Eyes, wheel"
He made his wheel. and to the sstonish-
ment of all it was perfect In every way
hub, spokes and fellows being as well con-
struoted as if he had been an accomplished
wheelright, though he had never In his life
attempted such thing.
AT the request of his friends he continued
his work ana made an express wagon as
perfect of appearance as If it had been
turned out by a model maker, the springs
in particular calling forth general ndmira-
tion. He had shaped and carved them 30
as to exhibit each separate detail, and
when all was completed and the wagon
put together many who saw It would in
voluntarily place their hands on the box
and press downward in order TO see the
springs bend and rebound, though, of
course. there was no response, as they were
infexible wood.
By this time the young man had 80 far
recovered his strength that it was thought
best TO take him to the country, where it
was hoped that a change of air with quiet
would be of benefit both to his body and
his mind. His physician had decided that
. the patient would be strong enough TO stand
the journey in fortnight
Although not knowing what the country
was like, as all his former knowledge was
lost, Frank was delighted, would talk Of
nothing else, and insisted that it would
make him we'll. The physician called on
him about week or ten days before the
time set for him to 60, and to him the
patient said: doctor, me do go in ze
country, and in a little more zan a week me
do get we'll"
On Saturday, July g. the patient was
brought to this village, to tbs home Of his
uncle. G. H. Jennings. After being here a
few days he called his mother 20 him and
said: Mamma, next week, Wednesday, me
do get WELL" thus designating the Goth OF
July as the date for his recovery. On Moa-
day the 18th, he complained of bad feel
ing in the head. On Tuesday, the 18th, he
was IN stupor all day and went to bed at
about o'clock in the evening.
On Wednesday morning at l o'clock bis
mother was called TO ses Frank, who was
shaking violently and trembling Ike leaf
She fastened to his bed, whereupon he sat
up and asked plainly and in his own natural
speech:
where am II"
His mother asked him if be did not know
where he was.
Yes, of course" he said, 'I am in grand
mas room. How did get herer
For an hour he asked questions in dazed
way as to what had happened to him. he
then wanted to know if it was cold weather,
az the last thing he remem bered was COM
ing home on Dec. IA. He took up life Just
where he had dropped IL, over seven months
before, his whole sickness being to him q
perfect blank. To-day he is entirely well,
his brain is as clear as ever. but the period
from Dec. IA. 1891, to July 20, 1892, seven
months and six days. is lost. He is still at
his uncle's home ana takes great pleasure
in showing to callers his wagon, which he
has no recollection of having made.
MEETING OF AMERICAN BANKERS.