“Every variety of contrivance and torture was resorted to by various parties who saw her, for the purpose of testing the degree of her insensibility, and for determining whether she might not be an impostor, but without eliciting the slightest indication of activity of any of the senses; ... nevertheless she _heard and understood all that was said and proposed to be done, and suffered the most exquisite torture from various tests applied to her_!! A fact so important as this ought to be published in every journal throughout the civilised world; so that in future professional men might be thereby led to exercise greater discretion and mercy in their modes of applying tests to such patients.” The _Somerset County Herald_ (Taunton) of October 12 1895, has the following:-- “EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF TRANCE NEAR WEYMOUTH. “The wedding nuptials of a sailor from H.M.S. _Alexandra_ and a young woman residing at Broadwey, who were recently married, have been interrupted in a most unusual manner by the newly-made bride falling into a trance. On the day following the wedding Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer, for such is the name of the newly-espoused pair, went for a drive, and on returning in the evening the bride, remarking that she did not feel very well, went upstairs, and before long was in a sound sleep, which continued throughout the night and far into the following day. The relatives of the bride, remembering symptoms which she had previously developed, then sent for Dr. Pridham, who at once pronounced that the unfortunate young woman had fallen into a trance. Dr. Colmer, of Weymouth, was likewise called; but nothing that these two medical gentlemen could do had the slightest effect in arousing their patient from the state of lethargy into which she had so suddenly and unexpectedly relapsed. In this condition she remained for a space of five days, when she gradually showed signs of returning animation, and in the course of a few hours regained consciousness, though she was then in a very exhausted condition. After her awakening the young woman developed inflammation of the legs, which was regarded as a very serious condition for her to be in. In an interview on Saturday, Dr. Pridham described the trance as being exceedingly death-like in character, and added that, in such trances as the one in question, in the past people have no doubt been actually buried.” A report of this case appears in the _St. James’s Gazette_. A less experienced practitioner would probably have made out a death certificate, as in numerous similar cases. After burial we hear no more of them; they may have been buried in a death-like trance, but the medical certificate, no matter how inconsiderately given, consigns them to perpetual silence beyond appeal or escape. Family remonstrance is then unavailing, for, except in cases of strong suspicion of poisoning, no Home Secretary or Coroner would grant an order for exhumation. [APATHY OF THE PUBLIC.]