The Headache

We have given a new title to the following article from the Sunday Dispatch. Such things are of daily occurrence, and secular papers publish them approvingly, so long as they are labeled Pathological Phenomena.—Ed.

Singular Pathological Phenomena.— A case presenting features of a most strangely intereseting character, says the N. O. Delta of the 22d ult., now forms a subject of intense speculation among those of our city who are skilled in calculating the mysteries of psychological and pathological phenomena. It appears that a female about eighteen years of age, who occupies the position of house servant in a respectable family on —— street, (by request we omit the name of the street and number,) while engaged in the performance of her duties about two weeks ago, was, on a sudden, attacked with a violent headache. She was immediately put into bed, when her eyes became strangely glassy and rolling, and were wholly incapable of performing their normal functions. Bright objects and lights were passing before her eyes, but the optic nerves appeared to have lost their cunning, no indication of an impression on the retina being perceptible. After a while the mind of the patient became dreamy and wandering, and she spoke as if in converse with her ordinary associates. Eventually her eyes closed, and with their close the “mind’s creative eye” awakened to the possession of more than its accustomed powers. The dreaminess was gone, and though the eyelids remained closed, the sense of sight returned with a keeness wholly incompatible with all our commonly received notions of the laws of vision. Not only could she see every thing in the room, and saw the finest cambric, with her eyes closed, but with a clairvoyance unparalleled, she could extend her vision through some super-etherial medium into the great Beyond, and correctly describe facts and events transpiring squares and even miles away. After remaining in this condition for several hours, the young woman returned by an easy transition, into her normal state; but almost every day since, she has passed, as on the first occasion, into the clairvoyant condition, during the continuance of which she has been a psychological and pathological marvel to all observers. In this case we would give names and particulars, but the extreme desire of the young woman and her friends that she should not become an object of public curiosity.

Spiritual Telegraph, (New York: Charles Partridge, Vol. 1, No. 7, June 19, 1852), p.2.