The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-14

:
"fA Russian nobleman who is now
resident in England, it runs, would be
glad to avail himself Of the professional
assistance of DR.. Percy Trevelyan. He
has been for some years victim to cat,
known, DR.. Trevelyan is an authority.
He proposes to call at about a quarter
past six tomorrow evening, if DR.. Ire
velyan will make it convenient to be at
home. 49,
""This letter interested me deeply,
because the chief difficulty in the study
of catalepsy is the rareness Of the dis
ease. You may believe, then, that /
was in my consultingroom when, at the
appointed hour, the page showed in the
patient.
He was an elderly man, demure, and
commonplace-by no means the concep-
tion one forms OLA Russian nobleman.
[ was much more struck by the appear.
ance Of his companion. This was tall
young man, surprisingly handsome, with
| dark, fierce face, and the limbs and
chest Of Hercules. He had his hand
under the others arm as they entered
and helped him to chair with tender.
ness which one would badly have ex
pected from bis appearance.
| " you will excuse my coming In
DOCTOR said he to me, speaking Eng
lish with a slight lisp. eThis is my
father, and his health is matter Of the
most overwhelming Importance to me.
81 was touched by this flial anxiety
you would, perhaps, care to remain
during the consultations said I.
Not for the world he cried, will
a gesture of horror. 1T is more pain
were to see my father in one of these
dreadful seizures am convinced that
should never survive it. My own nerv
Gus system is an exceptionally sensitive
one. With your permission, [ will re
main in the waitingroom while you g
into my fathers case
s'To this, Of course, I assented, AM
| the young man withdrew. The patlen
i and then plunged into discussion O.
/ his case. of which; I took exhaustiv
! notes. He was not remarkable for in
telligence, and his answers were fire
quently obscure, which I attributed t
his limited acquaintance with our lang
uage. Suddenly, however, as | sa
writing, he ceased to give any answer a
all to my inquiries, and on my turnin
towards him I was shocked to see tina
he was sitting bolt upright in his chat,
staring at me with perfectly blank an
rigid face. He was again in the gri
of his mysterious malady.
"My first feeling, as I have just sait
was enc of pity and horror. My SCI
ond, L fear, was rather one Of profes
sional satisfaction. I made notes Q
my patients pulse and temperatur
tested the rigidity of his muscles, an
examined his refexes. There was not
ing markedly abnormal in any Of thes
conditions, which harmonized with m
former experiences. I had obtaine
good results in such cases by the inha
alton of nitric of amyl, and the pre-
ept seemed an admirable opportunity {
testing it's virtue. The bottle was dow
: stairs in my laboratory, so leaving m
to get it. There was some little della
}, in finding it-five minutes, let us say
e and then I returned. Imagine n
t amazement to find the room empty ar
+ "Of course. my first act was to r,
r Closed, but not shut. Ny page who a
mits patients is new boy and by
r. means quick. He waits downstail
= and runs up to show patients out VIII
u [ ring the consulting bell. He h;
d heard nothing, and the affair remain
q complete mystery. Mr.. Blessingt
e wards, but I did not say anything
e him upon the subject, for, to tell t
e truth, [ have got in the way Of late
Is holding as little communication wi
e him as possible.
n Well, I never thought that I shou
|e see anything more Of the Russian a.
l. his son, so you can imagine my amas
l. ment when, at the very same hour tt
" evening, they both came marching il
L. my conssultingroom, Just as they b
" done before.
y y 9" I feel that / owe you great ma
x apologies for my abrupt departure y
II terday, DOCTOR said my patient.
~ {" Il confess that / was very mu
70 surprised at it, said I.
Well, the fact is, he remark
10 that when I recover from these attac
-. my mind is always very clouded as
C all that has gone before. I woke up
- - made my way out into the street in
"a sort of dazed way when you were
~ sent
~ g And T. said the son, 1seeing
81 father pass the door Of the waltz
TO- room, naturally thought that the G.
~ sultation had come to an end. 1t v
w w not until we had reached home tina
- began, to realize the true state of
IL IL "sWell,' said I laughing, there
~ no harm done except that you puzz
a. step into the waitingroom I shall
~, happy to continue our consultat
pie which was brought to SO abrupt an e
y ing
,e. WFor half an hour or SO I discuss
VI u the old gentleman's. symptoms w
n him, and then, having prescribed
81 him, I saw him 90 off upon the arm
o., OF his son.
re ct have told you that Mr.. Blessi
en- ton generally chose this hour of
us day for his exercise. He came in sht
IN ly afterwards and passed upstairs.
~, instant later heard him running dc
he and he burst into my consultingro
as like man who is mad with panic.
I'd "eWho has been in my room9'
ed cried.
ed g No one,' said I.
mt "tIt's a lie! he yelled. Come
of and look!
81 passed over the grossness Of
lys language, as he seemed half out of
ow mind with fear. When went upst,
tie with him he pointed to several e
prints upon the light carpet.