DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0399
MISS MfAVOY.
355
scarcely distinguish any object, and with the right every ob-
ject at a distance appeared white. The firing of the guns at
the fort, on the 4th of June, was the cause to which she at-
tributed the increase of head-ach, of the palpitation of the
heart, and of the general symptoms of her disorder.
On the 7th of June, it was discovered that she could not
distinguish any object whatever, and she appeared totally
blind; the pupils were considerably dilated, and did not con-
tract upon the application of strong light. From this date,
up to the month of July following, she remained in a very
distressing state, being frequently attacked with convulsions,
paralytic affections, and other complaints, from which, at
times, she partially recovered. On the 2d of August, she was
again visited by Dr. Thomas Renwick, Physician to the Li-
verpool Infirmary, her medical attendant, who, in his Narrative
of her case, states as follows:
ic Upon my return from the Isle of Man, August 24, the
convulsions which had frequently appeared, ceased; and it
was observed, that after each attack, her appetite became
extremely keen, her general health was also much improved,
and her spirits good. In the sight there appeared to be no
improvement; the pupil was dilated, and insensible to ths
action of light. In the general business of the house, she
was more active than ever she had been, assisting in making
the beds, attending upon her half brothers and sisters, and
was cheerful and agreeable in her manners to every body
about her, and more particularly to those who visited at the
house.”
We shall now present our readers with an account of the
manner in which it is stated Miss M/Avoy found herself pos-
sessed of certain powers of an extraordinary nature, as pub-
lished in the Liverpool Mercury, of the 5th of August, 1817,
in a narrative drawn up by Mr. Egerton Smith.
“Some time in September, 1816, I accompanied Dr.
Renwick, on a professional visit he paid to Miss M‘Avoy, at
her residence in St. PauFs-square, on ine east side. She
A A 2
355
scarcely distinguish any object, and with the right every ob-
ject at a distance appeared white. The firing of the guns at
the fort, on the 4th of June, was the cause to which she at-
tributed the increase of head-ach, of the palpitation of the
heart, and of the general symptoms of her disorder.
On the 7th of June, it was discovered that she could not
distinguish any object whatever, and she appeared totally
blind; the pupils were considerably dilated, and did not con-
tract upon the application of strong light. From this date,
up to the month of July following, she remained in a very
distressing state, being frequently attacked with convulsions,
paralytic affections, and other complaints, from which, at
times, she partially recovered. On the 2d of August, she was
again visited by Dr. Thomas Renwick, Physician to the Li-
verpool Infirmary, her medical attendant, who, in his Narrative
of her case, states as follows:
ic Upon my return from the Isle of Man, August 24, the
convulsions which had frequently appeared, ceased; and it
was observed, that after each attack, her appetite became
extremely keen, her general health was also much improved,
and her spirits good. In the sight there appeared to be no
improvement; the pupil was dilated, and insensible to ths
action of light. In the general business of the house, she
was more active than ever she had been, assisting in making
the beds, attending upon her half brothers and sisters, and
was cheerful and agreeable in her manners to every body
about her, and more particularly to those who visited at the
house.”
We shall now present our readers with an account of the
manner in which it is stated Miss M/Avoy found herself pos-
sessed of certain powers of an extraordinary nature, as pub-
lished in the Liverpool Mercury, of the 5th of August, 1817,
in a narrative drawn up by Mr. Egerton Smith.
“Some time in September, 1816, I accompanied Dr.
Renwick, on a professional visit he paid to Miss M‘Avoy, at
her residence in St. PauFs-square, on ine east side. She
A A 2