The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-10-17
WALK WHILE ASLEEP
MANIFESTATION AND CAUSES OF
SoMNAMBuLiSM.
Some Recent Cases Described by Medical
Authorities How the Sufferers May
BE Cured DIR. Hammond's Curious
Experience with Young Lady.

Experience with Young Lady.
''There are more cases of somnambulism
among the poor of Europe than there are
among Americans" said Dr. Graeme NJ.
Hammond to a News reporter in discussing
the recent death of John Fitzgerald, who
died from the effects of fall from sec.
ond story window, due to walking In his
sleep.
.In America" the doctor continued,
"many of the sufferers from somnapi-
bulism are children who are troubled with
indigestion, and are of nervous tendencies.
Among adults somnambulism is not
common thing unless accompanied by epi-
lepsy. Some epileptics will get up regu-
larry in the night in their sleep and per-
form different acts unconsciously but In
normal health somnambulism is of rare
occurrence. Nervous, hysterical women
are more likely to become somnambulists
than males. Many persons will get up in
the night and move an article from one
part of the room to another, but long
tramps in nightshirts through city streets
are extremely rare"
DIR. Hammond added that most cases of
somnambulism were caused by gastric or
intestinal irritation, especially in child
hood, and when the irritation had been re-
moved the somnambulism disappeared.
The doctor has an epileptic patient who
rises in his sleep two or three nights in the
week and unlocks the door of his room,
which has snap lock. The noise always
awakens him, and he returns to his bed
He has done this hundreds of times, but
has never gone outside of his door while
asleep. As his epilepsy improves he will
be cured Of somnainbulism.
An interesting case of somnambulism
was that of n young lady of this city who
was treated not long ago by DIR. William
A. Hammond, and on whom he made
number Of important experiments. This
young lady, who possessed great personal
attractions, had lost her mother by death
from cholera in the west. Several other
members of the family suffered from the
disease, and she alone escaped, although
almost worn out with fatigue, excitement
and grief. After moving to New York she
began to talk and then move in her sleep,
and her father called in DIR. Hammond one
evening to observe her while she was in
that condition. About midnight the nurse
notified them that the young lady had
risen from her bed and was about to dress
herself They met her in the upper hall,
partly dressed, walking very slowly, her
head elevated, her eyes open, her lips un-
closed and her hands hanging loosely by
her side.
The doctor and the father stood aside to
let her pass, and without noticing them
she descended the stairs to the parlor.
Then she took a match which she had
brought with her, struck light on the
mantelpece and lit the gas. She threw
herself in an armchair and looked intently
at portrait of her mother hanging over
the mantel. While in this position DR..
Hammond carefully examined her counte-
nance and performed a number of expert
ments to ascertain the condition of the
senses as to activity. She was much paler
than usual, and her wide open eyes did not
wink when the hand was brought suddenly
in close proximity to them. While she
was awake the muscles of her face were
almost constantly in action, but now were
perfectly still.
DIR. Hammond held a large book between
her eyes and the picture she was apparently
looking at SO that she could not possibly
see the latter, but she continued to gaze in
the same direction as If no obstacle was
interposed. Then the doctor made several
motions as IL about to strike her in the
face, but she made no attempt to ward off
the blows, nor did she give the slightest
sign that she saw his actions. He touched
the corner of each eye with lead pencil,
became perfectly satisfied that she did not
see-at least with her eyes.
Then DR.. Hammond held lighted sui
phur match under the young lady's nose,
so that she could not avoid inhaling the
gas which escaped, but she showed no irri-
tation, and cologne and other perfumes
and smelling salts made no obvious i'm
preston on her olfactory nerves. Then
through her partly open mouth he intro
duced a piece of bread soaked in lemon
Juice, but she evidently failed to perceive
the sour taste. and another piece of bread
saturated with solution of quinine was
Intellectual. The two pieces of bread re-
mained in her mouth minute, and were
then chewed and swallowed,
The young lady now began to pace the
floor in an agitated manner, wringing her
hands and sobbing violently, and loud
noises made close to her ears failed to in-
terrupt her Scratching the back of her
hand with pin, pulling her hair and
pinching her face appeared to excite no
sensation. Then DIR. Hammond pulled off
her slippers and tickled the soles of her
feet, and while she at once drew them
away no laughter was produced. This ex-
pertinent was repeated several times, al
ways with the same result, showing that
her spinal cord was awake. The doctor
awakened her by taking her head between
his hands and shaking it. she looked
around her for an instant as il trying to
comprehend her situation and then burst
into fit of hysterical sobbing, On re-
covering herself she had no recollection of
anything that had occurred, or of having
had a dream of any kind.
A gentleman of very nervous tempera-
ment informed DIR. Hammond that on one
occasion he dreamed that his place of busi-
ness was on fire. He dressed himself in
his sleep, and walked distance Of over a
mile to his store. There he was aroused
by the private watehman, who stopped
him.
A large number of somnambulists act as
though they saw in rooms which are per-
fectly dark. A lady in this city often
walks in her sleep and performs many SOM
nambulic acts in entire darkness On one
occasion she went in a dark closet and
after opening a trunk sorted out in sepa-
rate piles, without making mistake, the
stockings, handkerehiefs, etc, which had
been thrown into it. There was no possi-
bility OF her being assisted by light suf1i-
cient for ordinary eyesight.-New York
News.
Fairy Gfnriaa Nnt TDIurinua