Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-25
HAS A QUEER HEART.
CROWNOVER CAN MAKE HIS Pull
SAFE FAST OR SLOW, AS HE WILLS.

Can Also Stop Its Doats-On Exhibition
Before PittsburG Doctors and Medical
students-A ValyuIar Disease, Says DR..
English.
One of the most novel and strange cases
In tho history Of tho medical profession
has Just been brought to the attention Of
Pttsburg physicians.
Thomas jefferson Crownover resident
of Tunnclsville, Pa, has demonstrated
satisfactorily that by his own volitiGn he
can make his heart pulsato at the rapid rate
Of 40 to 100 heats a minute. BY mechanical
action of his muscles he puts on the brakes
and lowers it to so beats minute, and If
he 50 desires can stop its action for pc
Rod IF ten seconds.
This latter fear can be done only under
the most favorable circumstances, when
he is entirely free from excitement and
noise.
Attention was first called to this re-
marlablo case through some of the ply
SicianS of kittanning, towhOm Crownoyor
applied for treatment. They were nearly
struck dumb when he gave an exhibition
of his remarkable powers. They immcdi-
ately communicated with memhcrs Of tho
faculty of the West Penn Medical college,
who made arrangements to hive Crown
over appear before the graduating class
and give an exhibition Of his remarkable
powers.
CroWnOvor IL - years old aud is the ia
thcr of large family, five girls and four
boys. His occupation is that OF II farmer,
and to all appearances he is as healthy and
CIV lIn
is we'll developed and has good color. He
boasts of his ability to defeat any man in
his section of the country in foot race
and is not particular about the distance
Anything from hundred yards to five
miles, hc sa}S, viii suit him.
When he mHao his appearance at the col
lego, he did not excite any particular at
tcmtiun. lie seated hinacl, in tho faculty
room, end IN examination Of his pulse
there only showed his heart to be beating
ut the normal rate of about 40 per minute.
On being taken before the class Of stu
dents and IA largo number of scientific men
and mcmbCrS Of the faculty he created "A
sensation aIung them by increasing the
pulsatOns u 100 Il minute. Then. draw
ing up the diaphragm and contrasting the
muscles Of th1 chest, he slowed it down to
less than so bouts minute.
This action was repeated several times
during the hour that CrOwnOvcr was be-
fore the class, and rs such cases are very
rare, only tlr,o being ON record, every ono
present unbiased the opportunity to see
and study uS Iunch of the phenomena as
possible, as it was the chance of lifetime.
Professor OF Physical Diagnosis Dr. Eng
lish lecturod on the man for some time.
Whenever no requested it, CrownOver
would start his heart off at a record break
ing clip, and at a request from any one
present would Immediately cause it to
stop. The beats were listened to, owing to
the large number present. through null
tiplex stethoscopc. This enabled dozen
or more to hear the sounds at the same
time as they cmanated from the thOracic
region very distinctly.
All through the examination Crownover
seemed to be very calm and placid. From
his facial expression no one would even
think that his heart was beating at the
tremendous pace it was going. After he
had satisfied all present that he could do
all that had been claimed for him he
walked loisurely down tho hall and took
his train for homo.
The lecturer stated afterward that the
man undoubtedly has valvular disease of
the heart and chat it certainly is hyper
trophied. Crownover may live to be an
old man, and is also liable to drop off at
any time if he should become greatly ex-
cited.
The first reminder he had Of his heart
being affected was 20 years ago, when he
was attacked with fainting fits Since
that time ho has been under the observa-
ton of physicians, but his heart has re-
manned in the same condition, and he says
does not bother him any now. He is OF
highly nervous temperament and easily
excited. Through this, the doctors say, he
is enabled to accelerate the heart through
combination Of mechanical pressure and
will power.
Only one or two cases similar occur in
an age and these are not usually observed
by doctors, and as they are not reported
don't get into medical literature. So i.r
as known only three cases that equal this
are OH record. -PittSburg Dispatch.