The Vermont Tribune, Ludlow, Friday, January 4, 1889 PLYMOUTH 1/4/1889 Julia KAVANAH is not improving very fast. She was carried to the church, Christmas eve, to see and enjoy the Christmas festival with the Sabbath-school children. Julia was taken with what baffles the doctors; she can neither use her hands nor feet--can't walk a step, nor feed herself, but creeps about the house like a little child. Martha LYNDS is improving slowly; not able to talk yet. One of the other children is reported down with diphtheria. Leslie WALKER took possession of the Notch store, Dec. 31st, Geo. M. MOORE going to Tyson. Warren SPAULDING spent one day in town, last week. Wonder if he came to see Jennie? (Mr. Editor, don't leave this last line out.) Transcribed by Ruth Barton -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

On 3/27/2011 4:11 PM, Ruth Barton wrote: > The Vermont Tribune, Ludlow, Friday, January 4, 1889 > > PLYMOUTH 1/4/1889 > > Julia KAVANAH is not improving very fast. She was carried to the church, > Christmas eve, to see and enjoy the Christmas festival with the > Sabbath-school children. Julia was taken with what baffles the doctors; > she can neither use her hands nor feet--can't walk a step, nor feed > herself, but creeps about the house like a little child. Hi: For those who might be interested, this psychologically-induced condition is called "hysteria", "hysterical conversion", "conversion reaction", or "conversion disorder". The reason Julia's doctors were baffled is because there is no reasonable physical mechanism by which one can lose the use of hands and feet but not arms and legs. Darrell