Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-31
BACK TO A LONG SLEEP
Remarkable Case of sleeping sickness
DumbfOuEdS Brooklyn
NcurOIonigts.

NcurOlOSlNNhs
Mrs Elizabeth Hodes OF No 9t4 Blake
avenue. Brooklyn. who has been the victim
of a battling sleeping sickness for eighteen
months, returned into state of narcolepsy
Sunday, after she had been awake for fifty
hours. The woman lapsed into uncon-
sciousness at a time when her husband and
her two sons were making every effort
to keep her awake After sleep overlook
her she could not be aroused.
The case was reported to Or. John D.
Quackenbos, who made a careful research
Of similar cases and found that the disease
which has afflicted Mrs. IIodes has had
no parallel in the history of medical science
since 17T7. when the illness of the Lady of
Nismes drew the attention of all the
European professors. The symptoms of the
two cases appear almost exactly alike. The
Lady of Nismes recovered after she had
been treated by neurolOgsts for six months.
while / have not had an opportunity
to make a close study of the condition of
Mrs Iodes it may be due to the absorp-
ton of toxins, as from n decayed tooth or
intestinal fermentation" said DIR. Quacken-
bos There are many instances of pro-
tracted sleep, but few cases have continued
with regularity for any long period. The
symptoms show a danger of approaching
apoplexy, which would end the sleep in
death"
Dr. Quackenbos advised the removal OF
Mrs. Hodes from her home to a neurology
cal institute, where the case could be made
subject of further study. The woman
gave a complete history of the case before
she gave way to drowsiness. Although she
was weak and emaciated, she said that she
was ready to submit to any tests during
her narcoleptic state.
Mrs, Hodes awakened on Friday morning
She displayed no signs of drowsiness or
Saturday night, although she had beer
without sleep for thirty-siX hours. There
were no indications OF sleepiness at
O'Clock Sunday morning, but an hour an6
a quarter later she asked to be led to hel
bed
II am exhausted" said Mrs. Hodes, a.
she babe farewell to her husband and chill
dren. Then she prepared for the sleeI
| from which she feared she might never
awaken.
In her sleep Mrs. Hodes appeared like
a dead person. Her body was rigid and
her jaws were set like a wise. A pallor
spread over her features and respiration
was almost impercptible. She would not
respond to the crude methods used by her
husband and sons in their efforts ia
awaken her. Before she prepared for an.
other long sleep Mrs. Hodes told of her
experiences. She said that her body was
not susceptible to pain during the period
| of narcoepsy, and that she had no per
| ception of anything that goes on in the
room where she sleeps.
| II lose control Of all of my senses dur.
ing the sleep" said Mrs. Hodes. ''ThG
attack usually comes on with sudden
swiftness. A heavy shroud seems to fal
over my eyes. At the same time dull
noise browns ordinary sounds. My teeth
snap together and my nose seems to CLAMP
shut. All sense Of feeling leaves my hand!
and feet.
ut is horrible sensation. 1 can, fee
the muscles of my feet, my arms and my
face set tightly. Then a CONFUSION over
powers my sense of thought, and L know
nothing more until some weird dream
arouses me. 1 leap from my bed as tina
dream reaches its climax, and slowly
realize that 1 have been in a deep sleeI
for perhaps two or five days"
Mrs. Hodes believes that her condition
is due to fifteen operations which sh
has undergone. in each case she was un
der the influence of chloroform for a periot
OF four or five hours. She said that al
attack OF insomnia followed the last op
Grafton, and that she became weakene,
that her system gave way to narcoepsy
Brooklyn Eagle