Curiosities of Medical Experience — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Curiosities of Medical Experience
John Stuart Mill · en
Dr. Dyce, of Aberdeen, describes the case of a girl, in which this
affection began with fits of somnolency, which came upon her suddenly
during the day, and from which she could at first be roused by shaking or
by being taken into the open air. During these attacks she was in the
habit of talking of things that seemed to pass before her like a dream,
and was not at the time sensible of any thing that was said to her. On one
occasion she repeated the entire of the baptismal service of the Church of
England, and concluded with an extemporary prayer. In her subsequent
paroxysms she began to understand what was said to her, and to answer with
a considerable degree of consistency, though these replies were in a
certain measure influenced by her hallucination. She also became capable
of following her usual employment during the paroxysm. At one time she
would lay out the table for breakfast, and repeatedly dress herself and
the children, her eyes remaining shut the whole time. The remarkable
circumstance was now discovered, that, during the paroxysm, she had a
distinct recollection of what had taken place in former attacks, though
she had not the slightest recollection of it during the intervals. She was
taken to church during the paroxysm, and attended the service with
apparent devotion, and at one time was so affected by the sermon that she
actually shed tears; yet in the interval she had no recollection whatever
of the circumstance, but in the following paroxysm she gave a most
distinct account of it, and actually repeated the passage of the sermon
that had so much affected her. This sort of somnambulism, relating
distinctly to two periods, has been called, perhaps erroneously, a _state
of double consciousness_.
This girl described the paroxysm as coming on with a dimness of sight and
a noise in the head. During the attack, her eyelids were generally half
shut, and frequently resembled those of a person labouring under
amaurosis, the pupil dilated and insensible. Her looks were dull and
vacant, and she often mistook the person who was speaking to her. The
paroxysms usually lasted an hour, but she often could be roused from them.
She then yawned and stretched herself like a person awakening from sleep,
and instantly recognised those about her. At one time Dr. Dyce affirms,
she read distinctly a portion of a book presented to her, and she would
frequently sing pieces of music more correctly and with better taste than
when awake.