The Indiana State sentinel., 1893-08-30
A MOST WONDERFUL CASE.
BRIDGET PENDERGAsT DYING AT
THE HOSPITAL.
in n StupOrOus Sleep-A Paper on
This Particular Case by the Late DR..
Charles e. Wright-One of the Rar-
est Cases in the History of Medicine.


logical mysteries which has ever puzzled
physicians in the West and set at
naught the intelligence of the learned
doctors who have been cognizant of the
case is that of Bridget Pendergast, an
Irish girl. who more than three years
ago was Frustrated by an attack of as
sociated muscular and nervous disorder,
and removed to St Vincent's infirmary,
where her complaint assumed phases
which baffled not only her attending
physician, but all others whose notice
was directed to the case.
She was finally removed to the Cen
tral hospital for the insane, where after
a time she collapsed into a state of cata-
lepsy. in which she has since remained
apparently oblivious, with but occasional
lapses. to all her surroundings. changing
neither for the better or the worse
Two weeks ago DR.. Frank Ray noticed
a change for the worse. Again last
Thursday Mrs. Dunbar, the attendant,
observed that Bridget was moving more
freely and asked her what she wanted.
She simply replied: Water" Friday
morning her muscles were all relaxed,
and she could move with some freedom
of action. She was asked if she wanted
priest, and she replied in the affirma-
tive. She was then asked if she would
like to have Father Bessonies sent for,
and she could not remember the venera-
bic priest. When asked if she would
rather have Father Dowd attend her,
she said yes" and the priest of st. An
drews was summoned. AS soon as
he entered the door of the room she
turned her eyes on him and then sank
again into a cataleptic state. She again
recovered consciousness very shortly,
but seemed impressed with the idea that
she was still at st. Vincent's hospital
Her brother arrived Tuesday from Chi
cagO, and was at her bedside at night.
Her death is expected now at any mo-
ment.
The history Of this wonderful case was
once clearly told by the late DIR. Charles
d. Wright in a paper read on the 9Th of
December, 1892, before the Marion county
medical society.
DR.. Wright's paper was as follows:
History of the Case.
"A female patient of the Central Indi-
ana hospital for insane, whose admission
number is 1888, has been in a state of
trance or lethargy for over two years.
She is one of the Steering girls whose
cases are mentioned in the papers, and
which excite the curiosity of ALL the
profession as well as the laity. AS such
cases are comparatively rare, especially
where the sleep is of such prolonged
duration, synopsis of the case may not
be uninteresting to the members Of this
society. To be sure the history must be
only partial, as the patient still sleeps,
and there can be no telling how long this
sleep will last
THE papers accompanying the case
give US some information, but the greater
part has been CLEANED from friends and
from observation by the hospital staff.
NO 1888 is a female, aged twenty
six. She is a domestic, a native of Ire
land, single, five feet seven inches high
weight 120 pounds. She was noticed to
be negligent of her personal appearance
and surroundings on the 18th Of July
1890; she would not converse with friends
and would not take food when it was
offered to her. When she was induced
TO talk she said people had poisoned her
food. She was taken TO St. Vincent's
hospital, where she remained dull and
listless, sitting in one place mainly, and
refusing food unless 1t was forced upon
her. DR. Frank Morrison, who treated
her, states that her bowels were obstin-
ately constipated. and that she was ex-
tremely melancholy.
Nothing whatever has been discov-
cred of her family history. as her rela-
said that she was disappointed I'm love.
Received at the Hospital.
"She was received into the hospital
for the insane on Sept %. 1890, and has
been an inmate since that time. For a
while after her admission she appeared a
brighten up a little, but expressed a
/ 70
on any subject. She took food for short
time, and then required to be fed, and fin
ally in February, 1891 utterly refused
to swallow anything, since which time
she has been in a state of profound stu
por or sleep, and requires feeding with a
nasal tube. From sixty to ninety ounces
of milk per day are given her, which she
retains. No food drink placed in the
mouth is swallowed. The attitude MAIN
| tanned is that of quiet, peaceful slumber:
| the eyes are closed and upturned, slight
| cOnjunctiVal congestion; pupils contract
| ed and not responsive to light; mouth
! closed, lips pursed. and mouth generally
| full of saliva; the tongue is pressed
| tightly against upper teeth; face pale,
body not very well nourished but no
marked emaciation; the breathing slow
| and regular, about fifteen to TWENTY-FIVE
| respirations per minute. The tempera-
| ture has ranged from SO to 80 degrees.
| AT this writing (Nov. 30) it is 9S 3-5. Can
| Hilary circulation good Pulse full and
/ compreSsible. ranging from so to 81
| Slight dullneSS over apex of right lung:
| no cough, excepting from food or accu-
mutation of saliva; heart sounds and
/ rhythm normal; liver slightly enlarged,
and occasionally some fecal accumula-
/ tions in color, although bowels are now
| moving daily; stomach slightly distended
with gas; kidneys acting very freely,
/ sometimes vets the bed unless bed-pan
! is placed in position at proper time:
| bowels not tympanitic; pelvic organs
| show no sign of disease, although patient
! has not menstruated since her sickness
! began in 1890. Ref1exes absent; waxy
/ rigidity Of muscles and cataleptic reten-
| ton Of awkward positions; thumbs and
! great toes retracted strongly; no bed
/ sores, skin healthy, warm and moist.
/ Eyes Opened Twice.
| Twice during her sleep she has opened
her eyes and smiled family, Immediately
relapsing into the stuporous state; once
! or twice also she has been heard to in
distinctly mention something about GO
/ ing home. If placed in a chair she will
remain in sitting posture for some time,
/ gradually slipping down into a reclining
attitude. If she is placed In a standing
/ position she will topple over, unless told
! very decidedly to stand, when she will
stand for awhile, but with her eyes shut,
and will finally fall over i'm any direction
/ that he body may at the time be leaning.
-. III.