CURIOUS CASE OF CATALEPSY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8901, 22 August 1907, Page 4

CURIOUS CASE OF CATALEPSY.

But for the care of tlio medical practitioner attending hor, a Manchester woman overtaken the other day by catalepsy rati the risk ot being bnrietl alive. Tbe case happened iu a working-class district m South-West Manchester, and tlie circumstances were explained by the doctor to a press representative. He was discussing premature burial risks as referred to at the meeting bold iu London under the auspices of the Prevention Association. "On the question of live interments, generally," lie remarked, "my opinion is that with an mtcUi- j gent, honest medical man there is no I possibility of anyone being buried i alive." . .... I To him the idea that, burial risks , were greater now than twenty years ago was nonsense. . j "What is absolutely necessary m the interest of the profession and the public," ho added, "is that every dead person should bo visited by a medical man before medical certificates are issued." , . . He amplified . this by explaining that the risk, where it°was supposed to'lcxist, consists in the not uncommon policy of granting certificates without seeing the corpse. In his own ease, for instance, where he was attending a patient, he might bo informed some morning by relatives that "father died during the night." Where lie knew the people very wol., he and mauv oh tors, lie behoved, would in similar circumstances accept the relative's word and sign a. certificate. To allay all doubt it should be made, imperative that the medical man visit, and, in case of oven the poorest people, be paid by the eommumtv for the work. In a city like Maucliester every medical man was bound to come in contact with those who were too poor to pay the 2s (id fee. In this connection lie related the remarkable experience referred to, the first of its kind in a long experience. "When I called the patient was to all appearauos dead. I thoroughly believed she was dead, and was quite deceived for the few seconds that I intended remaining with the friends. Then there were slight traces of life. I was certain even then that the end could not be far off, but, naturally, I waited and did my best. It_ was little anyone could do; and I believed that inFaii hour at least life would bo extinct." To my surprise, after being !iu the house for two and a half hours the woman woke up. She is now quite well. It was a case ot catalepsy.