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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

took twice a week, she had given up the use of medicine altogether. No probable cause could be assigned for these complaints.

On her arrival in this place, which, as already mentioned, was about the end of April last, she had lost but little flesh, and by no means looked sickly; indeed, she was little, if at all, changed in her appearance; all her external senses were sound, but her memory was impaired, and she was very inattentive to surrounding objects, which made her dull and absent in company. The sleepiness had been very gradually increasing, and was now arrived at such a height that, unless when conversing with another person, or engaged in some manual occupation, she fell asleep at all times, and in whatever situation or position she might be. When in this state her eyes were nearly closed, she breathed softly, and, in short, very much resembled a person in natural sleep, except that when she happened to fall asleep in a position in which the body naturally requires to be supported, as for instance on a chair, she did not lean forward or backward as is commonly the case, but sat with her body quite erect, and her head gently inclined to one side. While in this state she was subject to frequent startings, during which she raised herself up, talked as if she were frightened, drew herself back as if to avoid something disagreeable, and then after a few seconds lay quietly down again without having waked. What she said on these occasions, though quite incoherent, was yet always nearly of the same nature, and for the most part consisted even of the same expressions, which were those of great aversion or horror; of this she had no recollection when awake, nor of anything connected with it; and she herself remarked as something extraordinary that now she did not dream, although she used formerly to be very subject to dreaming. From this sleep she never awoke of her own accord, except to obey the calls of nature; and there was no other way of rousing her up upon other occasions, but by placing her on her feet and endeavoring to make her walk. When thus forcibly awakened, she was fretful, and cried for some time after. She took food in sufficient quantity, and often with evident relish; but it required much entreaty to make her take the first two or three mouthfuls. The pulse varied a little, but on the whole was nearly natural; during sleep it was commonly from fifty-six to seventy, and somewhat more when awake. Her bowels were very costive, and constantly required the use of laxative medicine; the discharge of urine was natural; the catamenia had hitherto been regular in their appearance, but in small quantity. She complained of no pain or other uneasiness, except a peculiar feeling in the top of the head across the bregma, which she called "funny."

For five weeks after her arrival the torpid state and indifference to surrounding objects continued gradually to become worse, and the difficulty of awakening her daily increased; till at length, about the 8th or 10th of June, it was found impossible to rouse her up at all by