Jasper Republican, Volume 2, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1876 — A Remarkable Recovery of Speech. [ARTICLE]

A Remarkable Recovery of Speech.

A vert singular case has just com* to light in the town of Woonsocket, R. 1., which is the wonder in medical and scientific circles. About twenty years ago Frederick E. Luke, then a young man well know in hi* native town, was suddenly deprived of hi* power of speech. For several y ears afterward he was in fail ing health and ft was never thought that he could live. During these twenty yean he was obliged to make himself understood by«his mother and* brother, the only occupants of th* house, by signs, using the letters of the alphabet. Vbr th* past four years his health has been improving and he has been able to care for • small garden and materially assist his mother i» the management of household affairs- A few days ago a great change was noted in him for the better. He felt the removal of a restriction in his mouth and he wax made sensibly aware that the impediment in his speech which had made life a blank to him for twenty years had disappeared. He leaped for joy and went to hi* mother’s room, informing her in an audible vole* of the great change which had come over him. His enunciation as yet is not fully restored, hut each day ft is improving, and he is able to converse in a manner which can be understood by the many of his friends and relatives who visit his horn* to congratulate him upon the happy event. Some are of the opinion that the power of speech may again be taken away from him, but this is not probable from hi* present condition. The case will be presented to some of the eminent physicians in the State for investigation, and their report will be looked forward to with peculiar interest. \ >