ASLEEP FOR SIX MONTHS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1230, 12 September 1911, Page 5

ASLEEP FOR SIX MONTHS.

e A FRENCHMAN'S TRANCE. By Tclcsraph—Press Association—Copyright Paris, September 10. Emile Gautraud, a vine-dresser, awolce well after half a year's sleep in the Montpcllier Hospital. He wns fed daily with five pints of milk. THE TRANCE STATE. Tho common form of trance is seldom dangerous to life. It occurs chiefly in the femalo sex. between the ages of twelve and thirty; very rarely in young men and children. The subjects are seldom in perfect health, but usually present various manifestations' of hysteria, and are often anaemic. • Rarely no exciting cause may bo discoverable. In still more rare instances the state has been voluntarily induced, as in tho case of Colonel Townsend, who could throw himself into a condition of apparent death lasting several hours. Such voluntary, induction is occasionally eeen in tho East. Minor degrees of trance may also ho produced by hypnotism. The duration of trance lias varied from a few hours or days to several days, a month, or even a year. When of short duration, the trance-sleeji may bo unbroken; but when it lasts tor more, than a few days, there are usually remissions of a greater or a less degree, in which, for instance, tho patient will half-wake, take food in an automatic manner, and then relapse into stupor. Recovery may bo sudden or gradual. After tho trance is over nervous prostration remains lor a time. Most cases end favonrably. Tho depression of the vital functions enables lifo to continue with a very email amount of nourishment, but occasionally death occurs in persons previously weakened. In most cases the mental functions seem t6 be in complete abeyance. No manifestation of consciousness can bo observed, or elicited l>y the most powerful stimulation, and on recovery no recollection of tho state is preserved. But in some cases volition only is lost, and the patient is aware of all that passes, although unable to give the slightest evidence of consciousness. In one well-authenticated ease _of the latter type the intense mental excitement produced in the palient bv the preparations for fastening the coflin-lid occasioned a sweat to break out over tho body.