Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-09-02
BOYS LONG TRANCE
Yonkers Lads Stupor a Puzzle
to Medical Men.
HE STRUCK THE BACK OF HIS HEAD
&heE Cerebro spinal Meningitis De-
wrsoped and since That Time Eight
Sear-oId Charles Canepi
Has Not Moved.

T0NKERS, n. Y, Aug 29.--Medical
gcieufists throughout the country have
had their attention directed to a re-
xzarkable case of catalepsy In Yonkers,
where Charles Canepi, eight years old,
has been in an unbroken trancelike
sleep for more than four months, and it
@z prpbable a consultation Of special
3sfS in nervous diseases from this city
vviH be called to investigate the case.
According to the mother Of the boy,
he was apparently healthy and happy
or April 6 last, when he went into the
street TO join some playmates. While
wi7Syi1ng around lamppost he became
dizzy, fell to the ground and struck the
hasx OF his head. He seemed TO re
cover, however, and nothing unusual
developed until two days later Then
he went into a field near his home to
FstcS some early spring flowers for his
mother.
Returning to the house, he complain.
ell OF pains in the head and within II
Jew minutes lapsed into state of I'M
consciousness, from which he has not
awakened. DR.. II. L. Duffy pronounced
zise ailment cerebro spinal meningitis
and III the weeks that followed his di-
a%xesis was proved correct. Except for
the contraction of the muscles in the
commissions of the first month the boy
has NEVER moved an eyelash.
When the lad was first seized his IA
axreg. Joseph Canepi, Jr., a well known
contractor sent to one of the hospitals
&d1ere to engage two nurses. Menin-
l2EEsE was then at its height, and the
authorities told him he would have to
obtain the services OF private nurses
either in Yonkers or New York After
mach difficulty this was done, and one
or the other of the attendants has been
at the child's bedside constantly
marking every change in the patients
,HemDerature and pulsation.
Bags OF ice were packed around him
to keep down the temperature. but
'syen these measures sometimes failed
10 hold it below the danger point. A
little while before the boy was stricken
he weighed seventy-eight pounds, but
afsdav he is almost a skeleton, and
6niy mis- wonderful vitality has given
his parents hope for his ultimate re-
coyery. At first he was fed by injec-
tffons Of liquid food, but when the first
ravages of meningitis had passed and
his throat resumed its swallowing
functions liquids were poured into his
mouth in small quantities, sustaining
life
Discussing the case yesterday, sew
eral physicians said catalepsy always
has been n puzzling study. 1t is sup
posed TO be caused by sudden fright,
bat no organic changes in the nerve
,centers have ever been discovered to
satisfactorily account for that theory.
7G frst Inanifests itself by sudden
loss of consciousness, when the volun-
fary muscles become rigid, but in a
LITTLE while this rigidity is replaced by
"a wa1like condition, in which no re-
siStanoe is made TO any position in
which the limbs may be placed.
NH @ensibility is lost, although food
placed In the mouth may be slowly
swallowed. The general vitality is at
q low ebb, the respiration is reduced
and the temperature becomes subnor-
mai In most cases the victim has
merely passive existence, and that is
entirely dependent for its preservation
zpon the efforts of those in attend
rknce