Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-28

THE SLEEPER OF OkuO.
Swedish Woman Who Remained ~
Years In Trance.

There have been several cases or
long sleep quite apart from the cele-
brated persons of Ephesus and tip
Van Wrinkle. One of the most remark
able was the long sleep of German
Government official named Arnheim,
who had an accident IN which his mead
was injured in 1904, and falling asleep
was still unconscious four years at
terward, and may be sleeping still
But the most interesting example
was that of woman. Caroline OLSON.
living in the little island of Okuo, on
the coast of Sweden, who fell asleep
in 1875 and did not wake up till 1907.
Dr. Froderstrom, of the Saltpetrlere
ASYLUM. in Paris, has made a detailed
examination of her experience and now
publishes the result in his inquiries IN
the asylum journal.
It seems that "the sleeper of Okuo
was born in 1861. The first IA years of
her life was passed in perfect health,
although extraneous difficulties pre-
vented her from attending school. 1t
was not till just before her fourteenth
birthday that she received any school
ing. At the following Christmas she
fell ill.
home from the school, which was three
miles off, and complained of toothache
and indisposition and was put TO bed.
very few hours later she fell into a
trance, uttered no word. seemed to
hear nothing and showed no trace OF
feeling anything when needles and
such like things were run into her
arms. For thirty years and more. ac-
cordil,g to her mothers evidence, Car
oline remained in this condition With
out a sign of change Only once in re-
ply to the despairing cry of her mo-
Their for a prayer did she move her
lips and say, Jesus. have mercy on
mel
Some three or four times did the in
valid leave for moment her bed. on
which all the rest of the time she lay
in crouching posture with the bed
clothes drawn over her head. 1t Is
said that her nourishment consisted OF
two cups of milk a day. When her
mother died Caroline must have been
conscious to some extent of the fact,
for she burst into tears, though other
wise no change was noticeable in her
condition. After the mothers death q
brother undertook the charge of the
sleeping girl and her food. but after
two years he was drowned. and this
sad event occasioned second violent
fit of weeping.
The care of her then devolved upon
housekeeper. and Caroline seems to
have shown more intelligence and
sharpness, in noticing her presence.
1t began to be noticed that her hair
was always kept tidy and that her
nails did not exceed the usual length.
AS the result of an experiment in leav-
ing her alone for some hours of the
day a suspicion arose that her trance
could not have been SO complete ana
unbroken as formerly. At last there
was no doubt about 1t. Food disap-
peared mysteriously.
A few months later Caroline sudden
| ly asked for her mother, and when her
| brothers hurried to her side she waved
| them away, saying, You aren't my
brothers; they We're quite SMALL From
/ that moment she was a different being,
| the trance had ceased and left her
quite well and hearty The most care
| full examination failed to reveal to the
| doctor the slightest trace of weakness
or of mental defect. She remembered
every detail of her early life. but
showed a great reluctance to speak
about her illness Hamburg Nachrich-
ten.