WOMAN LOSES MEMORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21911, 21 September 1934, Page 14

WOMAN LOSES MEMORY

WANDERING IN A STORE IDENTITY BAFFLES POLICE A young woman, who had completely lost her memory, was found wandering aimlessly around a large department storo in Sydney on a recent afternoon. She could not remember her name, her address, whether she was married or not, or any other particular. "If only I could see somebody I know," she said to the police, "I might be able to remember."

For two hours employees of the store noticed the woman walking about the different departments and apparently taking a keen interest in the goods displayed for 6ale. She had an intelligent and bright look in her eyes, but when she was seen to inspect the same things time after time, employees gathered that something was amiss. They questioned her, and found that the woman was trying to recall her memory. A constable was summoned and he took the woman to the police station in a taxi.

At the station members of the force tried many times to make the woman recall her name. They wrote various names on slips of paper, and handed thom to her; they held up familiar objects; they showed her the telephone book. She was able to speak coherently and sensibly, but could not remember a detail about herself that would enable the police to find out who she was. The station matron searched her, but there was nothing on her to show who she was. She was carrying a basketwork handbag, but all it contained was an old apron., an old pair of slippers and some lunch. Finally, in despair, the police had tho woman taken to Sydney Hospital, where doctors, although they tried every method known to them to make the woman recall her memory, had no more success. At night the woman was taken to tho Reception House, to bo cared for until tho police could find out her naino.