The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-13
is AFFECTED WITH oSCULARiviS.
Terrible Effects of the Kissing Bug on a
Young Woman Stenographer.

The singular case Of Miss Esther
Wakefield, who is al present a conva-
descent patient in the city hospital has
attracted much attention, both in medi-
cal and lay circles, and seems from its
remarkable peculiarly fully to justify
the deep scientific interests its strange
conditions have aroused. Mss Wake
field is a stenographer and typewriter,
employed by a special order house
whose name is a household word out of
Chicago. She lives with her widowed
mother on West Monroe street and has
been for six years trusted and valued
emplOye of the firm for whicn she
works. She is modest, refined, cul-
tured young woman, the last person
in the world to give way to fooliShly
emotional feeling, the last person in
the world to yield to fcmininely nerv-
Gus impulses.
Miss Wakefield was ST ung upon
the lip by some flying insect which
laid its assault upon her while she was
lying in a hammock upon the porch
of her home just after the fading of
daylight. The sting was venomous and
the lip swelled SHARPLY. Poultices We're
applied after domestic fashion, by the
young woman's mother, but relief
seemed slow to come, and presently
eXigent conditions demanded the sum
moning of a physician. Upon his arrival
the doctor found the girl in a state of
high hysteria She was given tn hts
of bosterous laughter and eVlnced
spasmodic desire to embrace and KISS
those about her. Although unable to
form diagnosis founded upon previous
experience, DR.. Martin had little hest
tation in declaring that his patient mad
been made the victim of the sting or
the melanolestes picipes-the Kissing
bug, so called-and he at once pre-
scrbed an antitoxin for internal use
hl1
a specially compounded salve.
AS the night grew Miss Wakefelds
symptoms increased in violence and II
was with difficulty she could be re-
strained. Dr. Martin felt compelled TO
call a brother physician into consulta-
ton. They We're deeply puzzled by the
extraordinary features of the case Inc
hysteria assumed a tone of such Vlo-
lence that it was finally mutually
agreed that the application or anaes-
thetics would be necessary to save the
girls life and for II hours she was
given over to the influence OF ether'
Monday morning Miss Wakefield re-
covered her rational demeanor Her
liz was much swollen, but the wound
appeared to be yielding to treatment
and DR.. Martin assured her mother
that in his Judgment the crisis had
been happily passed.
The girl passed a quiet day and night.
L
The impulsiVe disposition to embrace
her attendants disappeared. Wednes-
day she felt quite restored ana al
though wearing somewhat unSlehtiS
plaster patch upon her bitten lip, she
returned to her work. The day passed
as usual and at 5 o'clock Miss Wake
field left her office for her home. she
took a Madison street car at state ana
Washington streets.
In the tunnel passengers aboard that
car were startled by sudden hurSt OF
laughter, strident. shrill, almost IN
canny, from Womans llps' anu oy t,ie
spectacle of a sudden seizing of the
conductor in a fervid embrace and the
implanting uron his embarrassed ups
of half a dozen swift and burning
kisses by as charming a girl as one
might find in many long day. NOT
did she stop at the conductor A lat
passenger who was quite old enough
10 deserve a better fate was the next
happy victim of these delicious as
saults And then. with a wild laugh
she fastened upon third.
The car was stopped and policeman
called. The girl had entered upon no
less than a fit of hystericai Laughter.
At the Desnlaines street a''oli t 'm
matron was wholly unable to controi
rer. and Inspector Shea, after learning
ber address ordered the girls removal
70 the county hospital. Her mother
was summoned and DR.. Martin Was
called in to relate what he knew OF the
case. In effect the same treatment
which had before proved beneficial was
readopted. -, .,o, +he
And here is what still puzzles the
musicians and seems to be giving
Mack eve to sCience-every other DAY
the girl is seemingly well. Every other
day she has a violent relapse into that
unsccOuntabIe condition of hysteria' or
mania. bursts into terrific gales OF
laughter. seeks to thrust upon whomso-
ever she can her mouthful of ferVent
kisses The medical faculty of the big
city shop is all at sea over TINS queer
case r. them the most peculiar as
nect or Miss Wakefield's ailment is
tbat she is wholly. completely rational
On her DAYS Of sanity-is utterly. to-
tal1v IRRESPONSIBLE on her days of hys-
taria II is not believed that her life is
in danger, hut the hospital physicians
have, up to the present time, been un-
able safely to predict any probable
nermanent Improvement. The con-
tention Is made that no stranger mall
adv than this has ever undergone the
study of physicians.-Chicago Chron-
sp1n