The sun., 1897-05-15
HIS MEMORY BLoTTED orr
Pastor Hanna Learning Again 10 Read, Write.
and Associate with Old Friends.

Rnntor Hanna Learning Again 10 Read, grite
and Associate with OLD Friends.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, May 14.-The queeress
case OF amnesia ever known in this State exists
In Plantsville village of 500 inhabitants.
about twenty miles from this city on the North.
ampton branch of the Consolidated Road. TIL,
Rev. t. @. Hanna, pastor Of the Plantsville
Baptist church, is the sufferer. On April II Mr..
Hanna stopped his horse to adjust strap of his
harness. This act cost I'm his education
As he attempted TO jump from his carriage
his feet caught in the carriage robe; no was
thrown headlong to the ground and knocked
unconscious. He was found and taken home
by friends. but his mind was gone. and when
consciousness returned his memory was blank
His parents stood by his bed when, an hour after
his accident, he moved again and mumbled
something inarticulate. but ho did not know
them; he did not even know the meaning OF tho
words father" and mother" He could no,
speak word of any language. and the task of
teaching him to talk, walk, and act was begun
all over again.
Tho relations of his family were explained TO
eat His loss of Vocabulary was easily I over. Sy en-
come. as he remembered, with wonderful mental
the meanings H the
familiar words on household objects, MI. Hanna
ture roll that his father hung up over YER bis bed
Every bit of the Bible that he had learned had
slipped from his memory, but he has Inemorized
much since the accident, although he cannot vet
read the Bible understandngly. He does little
Light reading. mostly OF simple story books.
Mr.. Hanna was q vigorous athlete, but he has
forgotten how to play baseball and also how to
ride tho bicycle. His friends taught him how
to mount his wheel how to dismount and how
to control it as they would a youngster three or
four years old. He was an adept typewriter
and copied all his sermons, but he has forgotten
all knowledge Of the machine and ia now learn.
ing the keys again. He has however fonnd
this hard work, and Is devoting most of his time
to making scrip letters with the pen.
His second childhood has a romantic side. Mr.
Hanna has shown for several years a marked
preference for young woman OF the village.
but when he met her after his accident he did
not know her. He was introduced to her. and
All his friends are being introduced to him
again. He greets them warmly. learns of their
former association with him with interest and
invariably remembers the right names although
a dozen friends come at a time TO meet him His
memory in this respect has been remarkable
since his accident.
Mr.. Hanna has just been in New York TO con.
suit specialist. II was feared that he would be
frightened by the locomotives. but he regarded
them merely with interest. The excitement OF
his trip to New York did not act upon him
favorably; and he will probably be treated at his
home till his recovery is more complete. There
is no fracture, and the prevailing opinion is
that he struck on his head, pressing the cerebral
cellular tissues together. He has never felt any
pain. All the physicians believe that Mr. Hanna
will regain his mental strength rs years go hy
but they doubt that he will ever have memory Of
incidents that occurred before his injury.