The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-10-22
SLEPT NEARLY TWENTY YEARS.
Remarkable Record for coincidence
- by Farmer Herman Harms,


Near the City of ST. Charles, Mimi,
resides a SLEEPING wonder IN the per
J son of Herman Harms, who has spent
nearly every hour during the last eigh-
teen or twenty years In unconscious
slumber. Mr.. Harms has quite fam
ily of adult children, and although
much money has been spent for the
best of medical attention and advice.
no doctor has yet been found who has
been able to break the spell under
which the sleeper rests. lie Is given
food by tender hands. but seems only
partially aroused when being fed, and
on being left zone, at once again drops
off to sleep. In fact, SO hard Is II To
arouse him, a great part of his food
has to be administered IN liquid form.
When Harms went West nearly
twenty years ago. he took up farming
Gradually the sleeping spell grew on
him, until he was unable TO attend 10
his farm, and for while, until his SONS
became old enough, the place was much
neglected, and the income of the family,
once prosperous. greatly diminished.
This summer for few days the sleep.
er thoroughly awoke. and his family
were in hopes his long slumber was at
last broken. BUT the. awakening was
but for a short time; few days and
Herman Harms was again In solid
sleep.
The pulse OF the sleeper is regular,
"A fh1f nf the
healthy adult. 1t fairly seems that the
heart meant to burst the capillaries and
drown that organ. The pulse over the
temple Is strong and the head is hot,
while the flesh is generally below the
ordinary Temperatures, As he sleeps
the eyellds blink. us IL annoyed by the
light, but this they always do. The usu-
nj position of the sleeper is on his left
side, the left hand firmly against the
, brow. At the times when the sleeper
awakens lie Is rational and shows that
his mind is entirely unclouded.
Harms Is now SO years old. When the
first symptoms of his trouble made
their appearance In 1915 the patient
weighed $50 pounds; now he does not
weigh more than One-half that-about
10 pounds. He is, In fact, almost liv-
Ing skeleton. His beard and hair are
long, his features drawn, white and
thin; the cheek bones look as II they
would force their way through the GOV
erlng of skin. Harms has i've "hildren.
none of whom shows any sigrs~o%> the
terrible malady which holds their faith
er to his bed
Many different opinions have been ex-
pressed by the numerous physicians
who have attended the case unsuccess-
fully. Powerful electric batteries have
been applied TO the body the only effect
OF which was to cause n slight contrac-
ton of the muscles OF the body. The
disease has been variously denominated
as heart trouble. softening Of the brain,
Bright's disease of the kidneys, e0mpli-
cation of troubles and the use of too
much quinine.
Harms Is fed about once In twenty
four hours-sometimes only once in for
ty-elght hours. In the partaking of food
he IL very frugal. refusing any dalnties
that sympathetic friends and neigh
bors may offer him, saying that slice
Of buttered bread Is enough for him.
In fact, his digestive organs have be-
come so weakened that to eat anything
more substantial would prove harmful.
Mr.. Harms is of religious turn of
mind and on account of religious scru-
pies has refused many good financial
offers from managers of museums. The
family absolutely refuse to give out
Harms picture for publication. and, In
truth, do not desire any notoriety In the
matter.
The man shows tremendous vitality
TO have lived In his unusual and unnat-
ural condition so long. and 1t seems now
surely that his days must be very near.
ly numbered New York Herald.