The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-19
QUEER EFFECTS OF A FALL,
Temporary Mental Alterations of u
Texas MAN.

From the Galveston (Texas) News.
Never was there a case to which more
peculiar circumstances attached than that
of Elmer Doolittle of Sherman, Tex. First
he plunged headfirst from the cupola OF
the Diamond mill elevator to the ground,
distance of sixty-seven feet, and ESCAPED
with few bruises about the face and rup-
ture of the nose and a Slight fracture of
| the bones in one foot. Within a few DAYS
he began TO mend rapidly, and he was
soon out. He was able to remember dis
tlnctly scenes and even important utter
ances and incidents Immediately preced-
ing the accident but from his mind was
blotted out all remembrance of the acct
dent. He could not remember having on
that day met Walter Morris, who fell
with him and died in the evening of the
same day. He heard of the accident and
the fatal results attending ii as one would
hear of something that had befallen a
friend off somewhere. He was taken to
the scene of the accident in the hope that
this would clear away the hiatus that
seemed to exist, but the effort was use
less.
Lately he has recovered his physical
strength rapidly, and is now able TO go
about easily, even the wound in the foot
giving little trouble and pain. Once or
twice his friends have become very appre-
At times his mind would wander, and he
went off into statements foreign to the
subject under discussion, and In a strain
not natural with him. "A word directly
addressed to him brought him back to the
original subject again, and he picked up
the thread of conversation, even in the
middle of an interrupted or broken SEN
tence.
Now he is as bright and cheerful as ever
and his mind as clear as a bell He dis
cussed his strange condition lucdly. With
sigh of relief and happy smile he turn
ed to the News reporter: THANK goodness
l am myself again. l have realized that in
some way l was dazed and out of line
with myself at times. 1 suppose l must
have known what l said when In one of
those peculiar moods, but ii was the ont
come of some uncomfortable impulses. At
ter a while my mind would shake off its
load, and, like song of music from a
monograph, what l had said would come
back to me. II was like the memory of a
dream, yet with the conviction that had
said things ought not to have said MY
friends and acquaintance and even
strangers have been very kind to me, and
when / said what might offend them they
have, it seems been kind to me- 1 have
never failed, L hope, 20 go to them and
apologize for my words. They would take
my hand and say: We know how il is;
don't worry. You are getting better every
day mentally as well as physically I think
l am right now; l know 1 am more guard
ed. If am eccentric and abrupt at times.
these moods are getting more uncommon.
II my friends will just continue to be as
Kind and patient as they have been it
VIII be all right very soon for sure"
Has the accident left any sense of dread
in ascending high places?''
can't exactly tell you. 1t is not a
dread, because cannot remember the fan
and have suffered no serious pain since
recovered consciousness. 1 think that the
erect Oh the accident is more that of a
desire to be more careful than of a dread
You might say that 1t has been more of
an object lesson than an experience with
me-" ,