The evening times., 1900-01-01
TWO YEARS IN A TRANCE.
Remarkable Case in California
Finally Yielding 10 Treatment

Finally Yielding 10 Treatment
SAN FRANCISCO. Cal Jan Life /.
slowly returning to Miss Elid8 Wilbur o
this city. who nearly two years ago drop
ped asleep and remained until very re.
Gently unconscious. Many doctors and
scientists have tried to arouse her. but
now she seems in fair way to recover
from her trance. few days ago she
showed that she knew her surroundings
and she has regained consciousness to a
! considerable degree. although not yet able
10 talk;
| Miss Wilbur was found one morning in
the latter part of February 1898. Iyins
/ fully dressed on the lounge in her room.
as though calmly sleeping The window
! was open aud 50 was The transom over;
! her room. The gas had apparently been
blown out, for the stop was half on. as
| though the light had been lowered
Her position was easy and unconstrained.
! and had il not been for the fact that her
! bed was unoccupied and that the apart
me1t was permeated with the smell OF
gas no alarm would have been Ie,t and she
would have been left to sleep on.
A physician worked over her for hours
without the slightest result. and at last a
consultation was decided upon Every
remedy known To have availed in similar
cases was tried, but in vain. In the davs
that followed prominent physicians exam
ined this unusual case and gave their best
efforts for her relief But there was not
the slightest improvement. Blstering.
electricity. white heat. ice bandages on the
spine-everything known 10 science was
tried in turn, and still the patient lay
asleep.
The strongest shock of electricity had no
more effect than the gentlest touch of tlS
hand. Her eyes stared into vacancy. un-
seeing. unknowing. 1t would have bee.
impossible TO determine when she slept
but for the fact that her eyes remained
wide open during the day and far into the
night.
II the lids were forced down they in
stantly flew open upon removal of the
pressure. Only during short interval in
the night did this persistent staring at
nothing, into nothing, cease. The eye
lashes then rested on the cheeks until
suddenly, without movement Of the body
or any OF the customary signs OF awaken
ing, they were raised once again. and the
eyes resumed their absent gaze.
Her limbs remained in any position in
which they were placed. Once or twice
she moved her legs just little, and once
she opened end closed her mouth, as though
thirsty. Water was given her. This was
all considered hopeful, but there was no
continuance of these hopeful signs
She was incapable of motion as she was
of action, even the mechanical perform
ance of chewing and swallowing food. Yet
when a spoonful of ice cream was put in
her mouth she swallowed it as though the
cold were grateful. A professional nurse
watched her by day and another waited
anXiously for favorable. sign or symptom
by night. But still the patient lay supiae
and as time passed the question as to what
force or power was to awaken this sleep
ing girl became more and more serious.
Hypnotism produced no effect. 1t could
not make her sleep any deeper; it could
not induce the tireless lids to droop: it
could not awaken; it was powerless. |
Christian Science gave all the force of its |
intangible aid but it could not work upon |
this trancelike stupor The weeks and |
months slipped by, and she grew a little |
but otherwise there was no |
change Osteopathy failed to work in her |
ease.
Six months ago a new physician began |
treating her. and has kept steadily at it, |
For weeks. however he was no more sue |
cessful than many others who had tried |
heir utmost to restore Miss Wilbur to |
consciousness. But quite recently she gave |
signs which caused the faithful watchers
o become hopeful. She showed that she
Inew her surroundings, and took the light |
ustenance offered. Miss Wilbur has been
improving
The young woman's finance. James Dunn |
Thy, is one of those who is anxiousiy
the change in her condition.