The Catholic World, Vol. 14, October 1871-March 1872: A Monthly Magazine of General Literature and ScienceVarious
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 14, October 1871-March 1872: A Monthly Magazine of General Literature and Science
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
The first occurrence of the bleeding was noticed by Louise on Friday,
the 24th of April, 1868, when she saw blood issuing from a spot on the
left side of the chest. With her habitual reserve, she mentioned it to
no one. The next day it recurred at the same spot; and she, then also
observed blood on the top of each foot. She now confided it to her
director, who, although thinking the circumstance extraordinary,
reassured her and bade her keep the facts to herself. During the night
preceding the second Friday following, May 8, blood oozed from the
left side and from both feet, and toward nine o’clock in the morning
it flowed freely from the back and palm of each hand. At this juncture
it seemed impossible longer to keep the matter secret, and her
confessor directed Louise to consult a physician.
Recognizing the medical character of the case, the periodical
bleeding, and the ecstatic trances which subsequently occurred, the
religious authorities felt constrained to place its investigation in
the hands of a medical expert, and for this purpose called in the aid
of Dr. Lefebvre. A more judicious choice could not have been made, as
this gentleman had long devoted himself to the study of nervous
affections, and had passed fifteen years in medical charge of two
hospitals for the insane, and in lecturing upon mental diseases in the
University of Louvain.
Of the minuteness of his examination, and of his credibility as a
witness, each reader can judge for himself.
If, during the course of the week, from Saturday to Thursday morning,
the hands and feet be examined, the following facts are revealed: On
the back of each hand there is an oval patch about half an inch (two
and a half centimetres) long, of a more rosy hue than the rest of the
skin, dry and glistening on the surface. On the palm of each hand a
similar oval patch was seen, equally red, and corresponding exactly
with the site of that on the back. On the sole and back of each foot
are found similar marks, having the form of a parallelogram with
rounded angles, nearly three-quarters of an inch (three centimetres)
in length.
On examining these spots with a magnifying-glass of twenty diameters,
the epidermis (or superficial layer of the skin) is found to be thin 175
but unbroken, and through it the cutis (or true skin) can readily be
seen.
The latter looks perfectly natural, except that the papillæ, or little
elevations in which terminate the nerves of touch, are slightly
atrophied and flattened, this giving rise to the glistening appearance
of the surface. When any one of the stigmata has not bled for a week
or two, the reddish discoloration disappears, and the papillæ resume
their normal appearance. No permanent marks remain upon the forehead;
and, except on Friday, the bleeding points cannot there be
distinguished. From a natural feeling of delicacy, the chest was only
examined during the ecstasy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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