Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1884 — A Hysterical Young Woman. [ARTICLE]

A Hysterical Young Woman.

Felida X., an hysterical young woman living in the South of France, became subject, in 1856, to accesses of what was at first considered as. somnambu-lism-states lasting a few minutes or hours, of she retained no consciousness on regaining her normal condition. Gradually the duration of these accesses increased, they became considerable enough to rank as a “second State,” and it was observed that in this stecond state Felida perfectly remembered the- first state—in the first or * normal state she forgot the second. The second state gradually grew upon her till it has become almost continuous, her relapses into, the first state occupying perhaps not more than one day per month. And it is remarkable that her second state is in all respects superior to her first. Her health is better; her character is more cheerful and even; her memory perfect for both states. She is aware of her occasional entry into her first state, but she considers tftat as abnormal, and though not unduly distressed by it she would fain avoid its occurrence. When in the first state, on the other hand, her aches and pains return, and her memory for the second state disappears. She is then truly miserable, even to the verge of sui<fide,and helplessly bewildered by the vast gaps in her memory, which are so profound and extensive that if her husband, or children happen to be out of the room at that moment when she enters the first state she does not know whether they are alive or dead, and waits anxiously to see whether they come in again. She is ashamed of this loss of memory, and tries all her art to conceal it. Of late she has hit on a plan which somewhat lessens this inconvenience. When she feels that an access of the first state is coming on, she writes a letter to her other self, giving an account of the facts which she considers it desirable that that self should know. ’ Thus, for instance, she details the orders which have to be executed, the measurements of chintz, etc. But there are cases where the poor creature is glad to forget. For example, in the second state she learned facts giving her grave cause for jealousy as to her husband’s conduct with afemale friend of. her own. So much did this distress her that she attempted suicide. She was rescued before life was extinct; and then in her new misery she ardently desired the return of the first state, with all its suicidal gloom; perferring, as one may say, to hang herself in forgetfulness of the truth, rather than because she remembered it. She has, since then, in fact, returned repeatedly to the first state, and knows nothing therein of the trouble which has come to her second self. Yet this immunity is not without its inconveniences ; for, while in the second state she rejects indignantly all acquaintance with the treacherous friend, she knows that there will be, as it were, intercalary <j}ays of amnesty when she will greet her again with cordiality and ease. — Fortnightly Review.