A Singular Case of Trance

Feilding Star, Volume IXI, Issue 21, 4 August 1887, Page 3

A Singular Case of Trance

The Eenie d'Hypfpiismfl contains a repßrf t^^i^r'^Jlqi on 'La 3jethargique"(3ie Thenelles,' a young: %* QmanOwhoVwill shortly have ■ accomplished3lie JourMyearLiif an runted trance. Miss M. 8.-—-, now tw^ttt^five^eara^ of ;ags; always, been sickly, delicate, and. nervous. On tt&yijo; Wfc fitter xjtrigbt, she had fieyeralHßOjflvuisjve., attjickj, a^d then: fell into a profound sleep, from which she has never a^aSened. ; Sb^ i^ kept alive by small 6jpantitieß qf liquid food which' -are swallowed, automatically, Wh6n examined^^by^ J)t^ 'Berilipn, ;the litnb^ were, f ouad to } be much , waited and ali^trace of adipose tissue had disappeared. ' Anaesthesia, is complete, and r knee refloat is abolished. The pulse- iis'^aitiipst Z imperceptible, and givfes^tOO to the minute. Respiration is regular, but feeble. The breath has not aufophagie f pdor of insanity and stiirvatioi. J 'The face is pale, L 'w^y' ; '^n^' J with6^if\e^preßsion. The muoouß* nienibVanes ar'ecoldrless, when, tlie/eyelids ar^ opened the" eyes are seen to be convulsed upwards, and blowing lipoii / them* produces no palbebral refley. f -The ; jaws are tightly clQßed.-3byTContracture of ; th9 raa^seters, Th*e arms ,cari bV,eaßily' raised, bu< enter a^bne^iatocontraiitrire/ The musclesdarlß inHthat state known 1 fas 7ieur6-muscularhyper-eKcitability, and the slightest touch or puff suffices tc canse contracture, .which' can be removed by the application of warmth Besides the sensory anaesthesia thert is complete mental inertia, and th< patient is inaccessible to any kind v o: hypnotic suggestion. : > ; ■ i