The "Sleeping Man" Awake.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 148, 25 June 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

The "Sleeping Man" Awake.

M. Chauffat is at last wide awake. Jnsb three weeks ago he fell asleep at M. Bougeret's hotel in Greek-street, Soho, London, and since then ho has been visited by numbers of medical men, and various accounts of his state have been daily recorded in the newspapers. He woke up on' Friday in last week. On Saturday, upon entering M. Chauffat's apartment, which is the top front room of the hotel, ho was found busily engaged writing letters. He is a fine, strong-looking man. He has a round and expressive face, a brown moustache, short beard, and closely-cut hair. He has broad shoulders, and certainly could not, judging by his appearance, have lost much flesh during his Illness. His left arm has been amputated close to the shoulder. To look at him as he lay upon his bed writing his letters on a small table by his side, one would think he was a man in the full enjoyment of perfect health instead of a person whose life during the past fortnight has: been a perfect blank. His eyes, however, were greatly bloodshot. His bed was covered with French newspapers, and he has been reading with interest the numerous accounts of his sleep. He seemed to thoroughly understand every question put to him, and those lie could not answer by signs he replied to in wxiting. He stated tihat he could not speak English at i all. Upon asking him if he had any dream during the time ; he replied that he did not know, for he could not remember anything that took place during the sleep. He said that under the circumstances he felt very well. After such a long fast and equally long sleep, he thought he ought to feel very much worse. Where ho suffered most was in the head, especially ' on the right side. He noticed on Saturday morning that his right eye was still greatly bloodshot.and it almost made him fear a relapse. He stated, that he ate a little too much on Friday, and consequently his digestion was very laborievse, and towards the evening he was feverish. The excessive excitement which followed his awakening has, he says, disappeared, and on Saturday he felt very weary. He also said he had a'great longing to sleep : but that was what he ought to vigorously: fight against. Some of the accounts published about him were not altogether correct, but he: hoped to rectify them and give a true account of himself. Dv-- Keset;'asked his patient when he awoke if he would like to be sent t6 the French Hospitf ,1, and he intimated that he would, but afterwards he altered his mind, owing to a \etter from his sister Louise. The letter.-was written to Mi—Bougeret,-" thanking xor his kindness to her brother. 'She expressed a... wish 1 that he would remain w\th M. Bougeret rather than go "to fne ! hospital. She said she • would defer .making any definite arrangements till her I brother had sufficiently recovered to communicate .with her. A friend would be visiting England in a few days,'and would call on. M. Bougeret. Dr. Keser gives the following account of Chauffat's waking-: — " Friday morning. -r-Yesterday morning and during the night patient was as usual.: This morning, at ten o'clock when spoken toby M. Bougeret, he opened his eyes at once, looked round him, and gave his hand to Bougeret. He was then quite awake, and he is able now to answer any questions in writing. ,He asked for his pocket-book,' and said that he _ was thirsty, but not hungry." He then wrote that he had really slept for thirteen days —from Saturday, March 26th, to Friday, April Sth. On the 24th and ,25th March he was very drowsy, but remembered what was going on. Ghauffat may now be said to be on the road to recovery after one of the longest.sleeps he has experienced. Replying toa few questions, Chauffab wrote down in French the following : " Here is what passed near to a cafe". I was accosted by two women, who followed me for several minutes. Becoming tired of their annoyance, I offered them something in the shop. I had no English money left, and the waiter could not change a louis ; upon which I said that I could not pay him; I left him my address here (Greek-street), and told him that he could come and. claim a shilling. One of the women offered to find someone to change the money. I went with her to a house, but no one would do so. At last, having been out long enough, I took.a cab to return home. One of • the. women acted as trucheman (interpreter)-between me and the cabman, who said ■■ that his master would change the money. The girl | offered to accompany me there, out of kindness. We spoke some minutes. I went to sleep, and woke up when the cab stopped. ,Then I found no one there. Instinctively I felt in my pockets, and, looked to see the time, but rhy money and watch had gone. I spoke to the cabman, who had remounted the box, and he said, 'The lady ; the lady.' I callecVhim a robber, and asked him to take me to a police-station. -.He did so. There they asked me if I could speak English,, and., on •my < ansAvering in the negative,' they: bowed me out politely. Thecabman.drove off, making a face at mo; and without his fare. I can repeat four numbers of his badge." " : ■

M. Chauffat has not again relapsed into sleep. His head is still heavy, .and. somewhat painful on the right side. In, his left leg there are indications of continued paralysis for some time to come. ~Alto: getheiy'' taking into - consideration^ his lengthened sleep, his condition is better than could have been expected. : The nervous excitement of Friday week has diminished, and; there remain lassitude and a little lethargy," besides, of course, the dumbness' and paralysis. Chauffat' states that he could go to sleep again very easily if he'hac] not the strength of will to resist the inclination. The senses of taste and smell are still inactive, and Chauffat states in writing that, so, far as taste was concerned, he could not distinguish1 between a piece of soap and a piece Gf: sugar. He amuses himself, with writing letters and reading French newspapers. He is interested in what is going on ( around him, and when desirous of expressing his opinion writes what he has to state and draws attention to it. Mention being made of the Socialists, Chauffat wrote that~the' Socialists only knew how to make a noise. They were not capable of changing anything in existing circumstances or affairs ; all their theories were pure rubbish, quite unsuitable for the present century and perhaps even for the next. Chauffat declares himself to be a Republican. He will probably go oh increasing in strength, \ and the paralysis aridi dumbness will in time leave him, although it- is impossible to say when, as he has been ■ known 'to remain dumb" for. six months after:one of'his sleeps.-^English paper." ' '%;:.•■-;;;>/ a'HIJ- yaH oiU lag