Observations placeholder

Supernormal faculties in Man- Dr Eugene Osty

 In August, 1920, I received an urgent call to visit Mme A.-C., somewhat tired during the preceding days and suddenly prostrated.

I found this woman, aged about thirty-eight, in a state of collapse, pulse 120, temperature 360, tendency to syncope, unable to raise her head from the pillow. The patient could hardly speak, and the family could give no useful information.

Methodical examination of the body disclosed nothing abnormal. Strong tonics improved the patient's condition. On the following day the improvement continued.

Next day, August 17th, about 5 P.M., another urgent call, the patient much worse, her family fearing immediate death.

I found her pulseless, soft, quick cardiac sounds, state near to syncope, patient unable to speak or even to make a gesture. Another examination, made when she was better, revealed nothing on the cause of the heart failure.

On the 18th Mme A.-C.was better, though fatigued. I got her to write a few lines, intending to submit them to Mdlle de Berly.

 I asked the family to take the patient's temperature as nearly as possible every hour till my next visit. The same evening, about 9 P.M., after a seance, I placed the paper in the hands of Mlle de B., asking her to tell me briefly whatever might come to her on the state of health of the writer. She looked at the writing, crumpled the paper, held it to her forehead a moment and said:

 "How feeble she is . . deadly weak a frail body that does not react against her illness . . . the whole nervous system relaxed, especially the heart. . . The body is infected, there is inward fever. . . You will soon know what is the matter . . they will think her about to die . . but you will discover the cause of the trouble and will cure her quickly."

On the morning of the 19th August I went to see her. Under the influence of tonics her general state had become good. Temperature had remained normal since the previous day. A fresh examination disclosed nothing but a rather more extended area of dull sound over the spleen. I left the patient and the family reassured.

But on the same day, at 6 p.m., in response to a very urgent call, I found her worse than ever-pulse imperceptible, profuse sweat, in almost a dying state.

I took hasty restorative measures, and made inquiries as to their observations of the temperature. At noon 36-6, at 1 p.m. 40-5, then varying round about 40 up to 5 p.m., and collapse soon after. All became clear. Close inquiry revealed the origin of the previous crises. The case was one of tertian malaria ending by a sharp fall of temperature bringing on heart-failure in a patient predisposed to this. Appropriate treatment was immediately begun and no further crisis supervened.

During the following days the spleen was much-enlarged and painful. Mme A.-C.had never had malarial attacks and lived in a place where such were unknown before the war. Now, after two years, her condition is quite satisfactory; prolonged treatment has probably got rid of the malarial taint.