The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-21
MUTE FOR TWOYEARS
A Little Girls Remarkable
Recovery of the Power
of Speech.
QUEER WAY SHE LOST HER VOICE.
After Eating an Apple, She Lost
a Tooth-Later Pronounced
Dead.
QUEER WAY SHE LOST HER VOICE.
Special to the Jerseu citn Ne,cs.

vINEtAND, July 81, 1894.-After being
mute for two years the little s~eyen-year-old
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. F. A. Breck OF
this place, through seeing the blood flowing
from a cut on one of her fingers, suddenly
recovered her speech. The case is a remark
able one and has excited the interest of ply
sicians and Of those who are acquainted with
remarkable recovery.
Two years ago the little girl, who wa
then five years old, suddenly lost her power
Of speech. Sh was eating an apple at the
time and in some manner lost Of heI
teeth. she ran into the house and threw
herself on the lounge, with blood flowing
from her mouth. She refused to answer any
questions, and the inquiries of her astonished
parents only ELECTED sobs and means. The
next day the child was still mute and also
refused to partake of any food. Her par
ents became alarmed and physicians were
called in. They were unable to diagnose the
strange case. and the child grew worse.
Medical skill was of no avail. and she grew
weak and emaciated.
PRONOUNCED EAD
After several weeks the Child died appar-
emily, and the doctors pronounced her dead
and left. The little form was covered with
a shroud, and preparations for the funeral
begun, when signs Of life were discovered in
the seeming corpse. The girl sat up and
with her fingers made signs Indicative of hel
desire for food. From that moment she be-
gan to mend, slowly, it is true, but surely,
and in the curse of a year regained her for
mer good health and spirits.
She was still, however, as silent as a
sphinx. Nothing could induce her to utter
a wcrd, and she continued in this condition
until a short time ago. She accidentally cut
her finger while playing one day and the red
blood flowed from the wound. Either the
sight OF the smell Of the fluid seemed to have
a strange effect upon the child, and that day
marked the turning point in the history of
the case. During the same night, while in
bed, she startled her sister by speaking her
name quite distinctly. She also uttered sew
eral other words very plainly.
- FRIGHTENED AT H EXCITEMENT.
the astonished and delighted household
was aroused at once and crowded around tn
little one eager to hear her speak after s.
long and unexplainable a silence. The child,
however, seemed to be frightened at the ex-
element she mad aroused and remained
mute and could not be persuaded to utter d
sound. The parents, a moment before III an
ecstacy of delight, were now bowed down
with grief and endeavored by every means
in their power to induce the little one to
talk, but without avail. s
In a few days, however, the child, who
had probably been frightened at hearing hef
own voice, the novelty of which had now
worn off, again attempted to speak and sue.
ceeded admirably, and has been improving
little by little ever since. Wednesday she
celebrated her seventh birthday with q
party of little friends and talked and laugh
ed as freely and as happily as any Of ner
O,rasfc Sba hac oItvov VIC hoan nf @ naruo11c
disposition, but is as healthy as any child
and extremely bright for her years. Her
parents are overjoyed at her strange and
marvellous recovery.