DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0296
262
Kirby’s wonderful museum.
which it degenerated in April 1/37, may be divided into
three stages. The first and last were a true catalepsy, as
before described; the interval between them, which some-
times lasted a whole day, was called by the persons who at-
tended her, the live fit, {accident vine,) as the others were
distinguished by the name of the dead fits.
On the 5th of April, 1/3/, the physician found her con-
fined to her bed by a great weakness, and the pain in her
head; she was soon after seized with a cataleptic fit, which
went off in about six minutes, as appeared by her gaping,
stretching, and raising herself into a posture; she began
to speak with a vivacity unusual at other times* Her dis-
course seemed to have some connexion with what she had
said in a like fit on the preceding day, when she repeated
a kind of catechism she had learned, making moral and abu-
sive applications of it to the persons in the house, whom she
characterised by fictitious names* Her eyes were open,
and she used proper looks and gestures, and every other
sign of being awake, although she was in the deepest sleep,
as appears by the following experiments.
Ablow was given her on the face, with the palm of the hand,
a finger was suddenly pushed so near her eye, as to touch
the corner, and a wax candle also held so near it as to singe
the lashes; a person suddenly started into the room, screamed
as loud as he could in her ear; brandy and sal ammoniac
were put into her eyes and mouth, Spanish snuff was put
up her nostrils, she was pricked with a needle, in several
places, and the joints of her fingers were distorted, without
producing the least sign of sensibility, or interrupting her
discourse. Soon after, she spoke with great fluency and
cheerfulness ; she sung, and burst out into frequent fits of
laughter, making efforts to get out of bed,' which at length
she effected, dancing and shewing other demonstrations of
joy. She walked nimbly round the room, avoiding all other
beds, chairs, &c, and returned to her bed, covered herself
Kirby’s wonderful museum.
which it degenerated in April 1/37, may be divided into
three stages. The first and last were a true catalepsy, as
before described; the interval between them, which some-
times lasted a whole day, was called by the persons who at-
tended her, the live fit, {accident vine,) as the others were
distinguished by the name of the dead fits.
On the 5th of April, 1/3/, the physician found her con-
fined to her bed by a great weakness, and the pain in her
head; she was soon after seized with a cataleptic fit, which
went off in about six minutes, as appeared by her gaping,
stretching, and raising herself into a posture; she began
to speak with a vivacity unusual at other times* Her dis-
course seemed to have some connexion with what she had
said in a like fit on the preceding day, when she repeated
a kind of catechism she had learned, making moral and abu-
sive applications of it to the persons in the house, whom she
characterised by fictitious names* Her eyes were open,
and she used proper looks and gestures, and every other
sign of being awake, although she was in the deepest sleep,
as appears by the following experiments.
Ablow was given her on the face, with the palm of the hand,
a finger was suddenly pushed so near her eye, as to touch
the corner, and a wax candle also held so near it as to singe
the lashes; a person suddenly started into the room, screamed
as loud as he could in her ear; brandy and sal ammoniac
were put into her eyes and mouth, Spanish snuff was put
up her nostrils, she was pricked with a needle, in several
places, and the joints of her fingers were distorted, without
producing the least sign of sensibility, or interrupting her
discourse. Soon after, she spoke with great fluency and
cheerfulness ; she sung, and burst out into frequent fits of
laughter, making efforts to get out of bed,' which at length
she effected, dancing and shewing other demonstrations of
joy. She walked nimbly round the room, avoiding all other
beds, chairs, &c, and returned to her bed, covered herself