The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-04
A STRANGE CASE.
How Mr.. Washburn's Memory Went
Away and Returned.

I
How Mr. Washburn's Memory Went
Away and Returned.
A case that Is said to be one of the
most remarkable known to the medical
profession Is that of Charles Wash
burn, aged forty-one years, who, with
his family, resides at 92 Charles street,
Allegheny. Mr.; Washburn has just re-
covered his memory after a lapse Of
seventeen years. and since the recovery
can remember practically nothing that
| occurred during that time
| Mr.. Washburn's native home was in
eastern Pennsylvania, but in what town
he has not yet been able to recall. Ac
cording to his statement to his doctors,
made since the recovery of his memory,
he left for the swcst in 1884. after the
death of his tather, to look UP some
property that had been left to him. He
remembers leaving Chicago on the Chi
cago and Rock Island railroad, but can
only recall that the train was wrecked
short time after leaving Chicago.
He remembers q crash and the sensa-
ton of being hurled through the air
but from that time until he recovered
his memory, four weeks ago, his mind
is blank, or was at the time of his
recovery. $50,
Mrs. Washburn says she met her hus-
band twelve years ago, q few days after
his arrival in the city, and two years
later married him. But Mr. Washburn,
on the recovery Of his memory. knew
nothing of his marriage or of the fact
A.. H. ~, cot 49, I,,, ut Ira,,
He did not recognize any of the people
he has known for the past ten years;
he did not know anything of the neigh
borhood in which he has resided for the
same length of time, nor did he know
anything of his former occupation
painting, nor of his present one, the
grocery business. Electric cars were to
him as something springing suddenly
from the earth, and he had but dim
recollection of what electric lights were.
An electric bell was also novelty,
with the use Of which he was entirely
unacquainted The tall buildings Of |
the city amazed him, and the sights on
every hand were as strange to him as |
to a newly-borns babe.
For the past year and half Mr.. |
Washburn has apparently been Ill. This |
caused his retirement from his former
occupation, contracting painter, and
he embarked in the grocery business,
small store at " Taggart
street DIR. Stanley G. Small, of Tag
CART street, had been his physician and
was treating him for hepatic assesses
or abscess of the liver. The frequent
bursting of the assesses caused Mr.
Washburn great pain.
On the night Of February 90 he was
walking the floor of his dining room,
intensely. A daughter who
was in the room with him, accidentally
overturned a lamp. Mr. Washburn
tried to grasp it as it fell, but as he
reached for it he murmured, "Oh my
head ,"'and fell to the floor unconscious.
He was Immediately put too bed, and
DR.. Small summoned. But all the eff
forts of the doctor were apparently
without result as Mr.. Washburn re- :
NAMED unconscious until the next eve-
1ing.
When he regained consciousness thes
next day the events of the past seven
cen years were entirely forgotten. He :
'egained consciousness at the point
yhere his memory had left him and his
irst words We're:
WAS | much hurt?"
Mrs. Washburn was in the room at
he time andr,replied in the negative.
Then he inquired as to what hospital
lie was in, and asked his wife If she
vas the nurse. She laughingly replied
hat she was his wife whereat he
rev indignant and told her that she
vas taking liberties with him. He
hen demanded to see the doctor, and
o humor him Mrs Washburn sent for ,
)r. Small While awaiting the doctor
FRS. Washburn again engaged her hus-
and in conversation. calling him by
lis first name and telling him that he
vas the father of four children.
I'm not married" he replied. Mice
hing for man twenty-four years of
ge to wake up after a nights sleep and
D be told that he is the father of four
hildren." :
But you are not a young man." re-
lied his wife, and she handed him tk