The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-05-10
DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS.
THE REMARKABLE CASE OF CHARLES
WASHBURN.
THE BREAK LASTED SEVENTEEN
YEARS, IN WHICH PERIOD HE WAS
MARRIED.

Pittsburg Times.
A case that is said to be one of the
most remarkable known to the mcdi.
Cal profession is that OF Charles Wash.
burn, aged Al years. who, with his
family, resides at % Charles street,
Allegheny. Mr.. Washburn has just
recovered his memory after a lapse Of
seventeen years, and since the recOv.
cry 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 re-.
call. According to his statement to
his doctors, made since the recovery
OF his memory, he left for the West in
1884, after the death OF his father, to
look up some property that had been
left to him. He remembers leaving
Chicago on the Chicago and Rock Is.
land Railroad, but can only recall
that the train was wrecked a short
time after leaving Chicago. He re.
members u crash and the sensation Of
being hurled through the AIR, but from
that time until he recovered his mem.
ory, four weeks ago. his mind is a
blank, or was at the time Of his recov.
cry.
Mrs. Washburn says she met her
husband twelve years ago, IL few days
after his arrival in the ciyy, and two
years later married him. But Mr..
Washburn on the recovery OF his
memory knew nothing Of his marriage
or OF the fact that he was the father
OF four children. Hc did not recog.
nize any OF the people he has known
for the past ten years; he did not
know anything OF the neighborhood
In which he has resided the same
length OF time, nor did he know any.
thing OF his former occupation, paint
ing, nor Of his present one, the gro-
cery business. Electric cars were to
him as something suddenly springing
from the earth. and lie had but a dim
recollection OF what electric lights
were. An electric bell was also nov.
city, with the use OF which he was en-.
tirely unacQuaintcd. The tall build.
ings Of the city amazed him, and the
sights on every hand we're as new to
him as to a newly.b0rn babe.
For the past year and y half Mr..
Washburn has apparently been III.
This caused his retirement from his
former occupation, a contracting
painter, and he embarked In the gro.
Gerry business, conducting u small
store at 70 Taggart street. DR.. Stan.
ley G. Small, Of 1'aggart street, has
been his physician and was treating
him for hepatic abscesses or asocess Of
the liver. The frequent burstings Of
the abcesses caused great pain.
On the night Of February % he was
walking the floor OF his dining room,
suffering intensely. A daughter, who
was In the room with him, accIdently
overturned u lamp. Mr.. Washburn
tried to grasp II as II fell, but as he
reached for it he murmurcd "Oh, my
head" and fell to the floor unconsci.
Gus. He was Immediately put to bed
and DR.. Small summoned, but all ef.
forts OF the dUctor were apparently
without result, as Mr.. Washburn re.
malned unconscious until the next
evening.
When he rcvMIpcd Consciousness
the next day The events Of the past
seventeen years were entirely forgot
ten. He regained consciousness at
the point where his memory had left
him and his first words were:
A"Was l much hurt?"
Mrs. Washburn was in tho room at
lths time and replied In the negative.
Then be replied no IN what hospital
| hS vas In and asked HE wife II she
wss not the nurse. She lauxhinRly
| replied that she was bis wife. whsreat
ths seow Indignant and told her thu,
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