The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1893-09-16
|NATORPOR FOR DAYS.
Pasquale Iacolucoi Apparently
Insensible to All About Him.
Strange Case Of CataIepsy at the
Italian Home in This City.
Grief Over tho Death Of q Beloved
Aunt tho Cause.

A remarkable case Of catalepsy ia be-
ing treated at the Italian Home I79 Sec
on avenue. by Dr. Bettini di Noise. the
chief of the visiting staff of the hospi-
tai
The patient Is Pasquale Iacolucci. a
boy OF fourteen. who lived with his
brother and his wife at Woodbridge. n.
j. Pasquale was born In the province
OF Campobasso. In Italy, and has been
In this country for two years. He Is
a bright. handsome boy. with olive com
plexion and big, full black eyes. His
face has not paled since he was placed
b aside sailor on a cot at the hospital,
about ten days ago. but his limbs are
sndy wasted.
He lies there immobile. but his big
eyes are fun of expression, and he
seems to know when any one approaches
him. Sometimes, pr. Di Noise says. he
moves his eyes little, but he will not
wink or dodge If blow Is aimed at
him.
At intervals OF fifty or sixty hours he
wake wakes up; so to speak, and is himself
broad or milk. These he seizes like
most before he has time to do this his
catalepsy returns, and he lapses into
his former state. When he awakens
He uses Ills HTUlS ana Is aDle 10 move.
An attendant is by the boys side night
and day. Or. di Noise thinks that he
sleeps for intervals of an hour or two
during the night, and says that a change
perceptible, seems to indicate at such
times that his mind is not active and
that he Is asleep.
DIR. di Noise believes that Pasquale is
CONSCIOUS at other times OF all that is
going on about him. His opinion was
strengthened by a visit which the boys
ol,er brother made to him the other
day.
Pasauale seemed to recognize him at
once, and this had the effect of causing
the little sufferer to speak. He merely
stupor. The brother has been sent for
again, and is expected at the hospital
this time more particularly than before.
Little Pasquale's limbs can be placed
IN almost any position. and they will
tendant at the hospital this morning
stretched the boys arms above his head
and they stayed there until they were
taken d dHwn If If this were not done the
and sss then they would be apt to retain
placed when they were raised.
and needle can be passed under his
finger nail or through the flesh about
his eyes without any apparent feeling.
DR.. dl Noise lis scientist of high
standing and wide reading. He. says
that cases of catalepsy like that of Pas
auale are very rare indeed. Usually
the only awakening is when the victim
comes out OF Mo stupor and RECEIVERS.
He has been giving the boy strychnine
with bath and treatment with "A Faradic
battery. He will try cerebrene next
week. The doctor thinks that the boy
may recover.
Catalepsy Is disease of the spinal COL
umn and is usually caused by some vio-
lent shock or unusual surprise or grief
Akin to II Is such shock as often
transfixes person to one spot or per-
haps renders him unable for a moment
to lower an arm which has been raised
while the shock was received.
In PasQuale's case grief over the loss
of an aunt is believed to have brought
on the trouble. His aunt died at Wood
ridge over a month ago. He was deeply
affected and passed through paroxysms
of weeping, which continued for hours
These were succeeded by lethargy
from which he was aroused with much
trouble.
The fits of weeping became less fire.
quent, and the lethargy increased until
the boy became oblivious to what was
going on about him.