237 A. The following account is taken from the "Report of Dr. Ira Barrows on the Case of Miss Anna Winsor." Extracts from this Report were made by Dr. C. W. Fillmore, and sent to the American Society for Psychical Research. Dr. Barrows and Dr. Fillmore were both of Providence, R. I., and are now deceased. Professor James made some inquiry into the case in 1889, and stated (Proceedings of the American S.P.R., Vol. I., p. 552) that the mother and brother of the patient, and Dr. Wilcox, the former partner of Dr. Barrows, bore corroborative testimony. I recount the case as far as possible in the words of Dr. Barrows, with some abridgments and omissions, and a few explanatory remarks. The parts omitted are chiefly accounts of the patient's spasms, and purely medical descriptions.

The case of Anna Winsor represents an extreme form of hystero-epilepsy, with very violent and frequent convulsions, and intervals of insane delusions. Much relief was given by hypnotism (called by Dr. Barrows "magnetism," or "animal magnetism "), but no cure was effected. The detailed record extends over two and a half years, from May 9th, 1860, to January 1863, but some of Dr. Barrows' comments were made at a later date. Miss Winsor died in 1873.

There is clear evidence of a secondary personality, and there seems to have been hyperæsthesia of vision, and perhaps also telæsthesia, and even heteræsthesia; but in the absence of details concerning the experiments made in these directions, we cannot infer with any certainty that supernormal faculty was manifested. It is interesting to note that the first attempt apparently of the secondary personality to communicate resulted in a writing movement of the toes. But the most remarkable feature in the case was that later on the right arm became, as it were, the permanent possession of the secondary personality. The personations appear to have been - chiefly, at least, - of the insane type, and there is no evidence of the control of the organism by any external intelligence. The beneficent control of the "right arm" personality is doubtless to be referred to the subject's own subliminal self.

May 9th, 1860

Called to visit Miss Winsor, aged eighteen years. From her mother and sister learned the following regarding her history.

When teething had been subject to convulsions. Had grown up a tolerably healthy girl. Had passed through the primary school; was attending a higher one when at fifteen she was attacked with rheumatic fever. She suffered particularly in her joints, and especially the vertebral joints. For seven months she was unable to walk. It was 21/3 years before she was able to return to school, and then was very weak, and suffered with rheumatic cardialgia. She continued in school eight months, and then, May 6th, 1860, left school; complained of chilliness and severe headache.

May 7th

Unusually quiet, wandering about the house unconscious of what she did, scarcely tasting food, and oppressed with drowsiness.

May 8th

Reclined upon lounge all day.

May 9th. First Visit

Found her stupid, pulse small, frequent, irregular. Tongue dry; skin hot and dry. Treated her for what appeared to be typhoid fever. At the end of about seventeen days she became convalescent, and I anticipated a speedy recovery. Now, suddenly and without apparent cause, about June 1st, a relapse of fever. Head ached; tongue dried; delirium supervened; convulsions followed; loss of consciousness. The whole vertebral column sensitive to slight pressure. Hard pressure upon the cervical and upper dorsal vertebrae would produce spasm. Tetanic spasms alternating with coma.

No change worthy of notice until June 15th. Apparently unconscious of everything around her; emaciated, haggard, and seemingly about to die; we noticed her toes moving as if trying to form letters on the sheet. Not giving any particular attention to this, she began, with her forefinger, to form letters on the sheet as if trying to spell some word. It was suggested that paper and a pencil be given to her. She began to write names of persons long since dead. Then followed directions about her sickness, and predictions as to her future, saying: "It (always using the third person singular) will be a long time sick; lose her sense of smell; be blind many months; doubtful if she ever walks again. Her sickness will develop many phases and strange phenomena." Continues to be very sick. Spasms increase in frequency and severity.

About June 26th she became very sensitive to magnetic influence. The touch of many persons became painful, so that it was difficult to get suitable watchers. A rubber comb, the contact of a cat, as well as the touch of sundry-persons, were not only painful, but caused spasms.

August 9th

Tried animal magnetism. Succeeded in putting her to sleep; slept a short time, but more quiet through the day. August 10th (apparently), tried magnetism again; did not succeed. On August 26th she thinks it is the 4th of July. [This suggests the waking here of some fragment of her personality that had been dormant since July 4th].

September 8th

She has not been able to utter a word for ten weeks. All communications are made by writing.

September 13th

Complains that the room is dark; cannot see. Tells what is going on in an adjoining room. Tells the time by a clock in another room.

14th And 15th

" Balls " of pain in back and head.

16th, A.m

Some delirium; in the evening a raving maniac. Tore her hair out by handfuls; fought and bit all who came near her. Rubbed with Tinct. Bell.: magnetism. Succeeded at 12.50 in getting her quiet.

17th And 18th

Wild with delirium. Tears her hair, bed-clothes, pillow-cases, both sheets, night-dress all to pieces. Her right hand prevents her left hand, by seizing and holding it, from tearing out her hair, but tears her clothes with her left hand and teeth.

[This appears to be the first distinctly noted usurpation of the right arm by the secondary personality].

September 24th

Writes the time of day; motions for a book; holds it upside down. Right hand predicts the number of spasms she will have a day: some days more, some less.

25th, 26th, 27th, 28th

Talks again, but in whispers.

29th

Complains of great pain in right arm, more and more intense, when suddenly it falls down by her side. She looks at it in amazement. Thinks it belongs to some one else; positive it is not hers. Sees her right arm drawn around upon her spine. Cut it, prick it, do what you please to it, she takes no notice of it. Complains of great pain in the neck and back, which she now calls her shoulder and arm; no process of reasoning can convince her of the contrary. [To the present time (1866, when the Report was read at a Medical Society in Boston), now nearly five years, the hallucination remains firm. She believes her spine is her right arm, and that her right arm is a foreign object and a nuisance. She believes it to be an arm and hand, but treats it as if it had intelligence and might keep away from her. She bites it, pounds it, pricks it, and in many ways seeks to drive it from her. She calls it "Stump; old Stump." Sometimes she is in great excitement and tears, pounding "Old Stump." Says "Stump " has got this, that, or the other that belongs to her].

The history of September is her daily and nightly history to October 25th.