ep20 Frightened Out of Speech

A young woman is frightened out of her speech. A curfew was used to prevent a revolution. A male man throws away 200 letters. Each one of those statements is true. And this is also true.

This is Lindsey McCarry back with another session of Can You Imagine That? And asking you to wait for just one minute and a half until we come back to prove those statements. Again friends, I told you we'd prove the statements we made just a short while ago and here's the

proof of the first. Everyone has heard the old expression, I was frightened out of my wits. Well, here's an odd little item which goes that saying one better. It happened on February 18, 1937, in New York, New Jersey.

Ms. Sophie Fleischer of 503 South 17th Street, set off from her home on her way to a building and loan association to collect an interest check. It wasn't long after that her mother, attending a meeting in a restaurant, was approached by an excited friend.

Mrs. Fleischer, Mrs. Fleischer, your daughter Sophie... What's wrong? What's the matter? What do you think? Just a minute ago screaming for you. We don't know what's wrong, but she can't use her right arm at all.

Sophie, you take me to her! Sophie Pliesher was taken home, and there the doctor discovered. It seems she's partly lost the use of her vocal cords and the use of her right arm. But Doctor, I don't understand. She was all right a few minutes before I...

before I... Oh, there, Mr. Sly, she's there there. So, if you'll be all right, she's had an experience that caused a severe fright. The resulting hysteria has deprived her temporarily of the full use of avocal cords and right arm.