Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1915 — GIRL CANNOT SAY “HELLO" [ARTICLE]

GIRL CANNOT SAY “HELLO"

“Central” Loses Power of Speech Just As Call Comes In. Muskogee, Okla. —Miss Flora Wetzel, 18 years old, a telephone operator, suddenly lost her voice while attempting to answer a call. She had just made one connection, and turned to answer another, when she discovered she -could dot speak. Her lips formed the usual “number, please,” but gave no sound. Her'vocal chords had suddenly become paralyzed. Greatly frightened, she tried again and again to speak. Then she managed to signal for help. When friends arrived she tried agaifi to talk to them, but could „ not When they realized her condition they took her to, a- physician. Dr. B. W. Randall declared she might never be able to speak. She yaa taken to the home of her parents. Except that she is unable to make even the slightest sound. Miss Wenzel seems normal. About a year ago she was severely ill, and coughed incessantly. It is said to be possible that she weakened her vocal organs at that time- Physicians were unable to state whether or not any other serious results would follow the attack, although they declared that complete paralysis sometimes followed from atr tacks of the kind.