REMARKABLE CASE OF TRANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10858, 29 December 1906, Page 8 (Supplement)

REMARKABLE CASE OF TRANCE.

In the leading medical journal of Berlin, Professor Eulenburg, the eminent specialist for diseases of the brain, recount? a curious case of a man whom he has been attending, and who has been m a trance for two years and three months.

The man, whose name is not given, was an official of the Municipality of Wilmersdorf, near Berlin. He had been concerned m some shady transactions, and was summened to Berlin to give explanations. On his way he slipped from a tramear, injuring the back of his head. He was at once treated by an ordinary medical practitioner, but three hours after his accident he had already begun to show signs of sleepiness. Ten days after the accident he was fast asleep. This was m June 20, 1904. Since then he has not opened his eyes or shown any sign of consciousness. Professor Eulenburg describes his case as follows : He is lying m bed with his head toward the right side. Across his forehead are deep wrinkles, as one frowning. His limbs may be freely moved from side to side. His skin is not sensitive to deep needle pricks, his shut eyes show no movement when a strong light is placed before them. His sense of smell has also gone. He takes no notice of most pungent odours. He shows no sign that he wants anything. Food and drink are supplied to him at regular intervals, but he makes no sign that he is either hungry or thirsty. He chews slowly, and swallows m a normal fashion. Never once has he spoken a word.

During one of his most recent visits the professor found him dressed and placed by the side 'of his wife at an open window. It was a horribly uncanny sight — the closed eyes and waxen visage of this torpid man. It reminded him of one of those figures m a waxworks, placed at intervals to deceive visitors by their likeness to living beings. Parts of his brain have been injured, but how or why this death m life has been caused Dr Eulenburg is unable to say. His state of mental uneasiness at the time of the accident may have had something to do with it, and it is probable he may waken quite suddenly.