The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-09-06

continued to feed himself, gradually increasing
in bulk, his breathing becoming daily more diifl-
cult, and his power Of locomotion daily dlinin-
ishing, until he was at last obliged to conhne
himself to his large chair and his bed. Every
now and then he was i'll great danger OF suftoca-
ton; and it was on one of those OCCASIONS that
Graefc, who has related the IN one OF the re-
cent numbers of his Journal, was called to HIN.
He found the man stretched out upon beds
complaining of very difficult respiration, TO
such an extent, as to express his fear OF being ab-
solutely choaked. His lips were Of dull violet
color, his eyes appearing to start from ms heau'
the conjunctivai lining being Of = bright red CO.
lor the entire countenance was OF dark GRIM,
SOM and the pulse was trcmulous, irregular, ana
frequently intermittent. lie complained also OF
great pslpitation Of the heart; although. from,
the immense projection of the abdomen, and
the huge pendulous breasts, it vas impossible
to bring the hand upon the part OF the chest
covering it. He could only speak at intervals,
and that with great difficulty. The abdomen
protruded, so as to cover the upper halt oi the
thights; and on several parts OF its immensely
dstended surface were round reddish spots, OF
about the fourth ofan inch in diameter, hard and
painful to the TOUCH somewhat resembling small
iipoma or fatty tulnours Although the cham
ber liz which lie lay was kept very clean, and his
linen frequently changed, the odeur exhalee
WAS exceedingly offensive, and resembled muct
the smell OF dissectng room, or butchers
shop on the evening of hot day. krocker wa.
five feet four inches high; the circumference Of
his abdomen was feet inches, the circumfcr
ence of his thigh feet inches, of the calf O
his Leg, l foot inches; his breasts measured
one foot eight inches in circumference at then
bases, and were eight inches long, being almos
as penduous So those of the Hottentot wo
men His weight at the tnle he was put undc
Craefc's care, Was about 400 pounds; but I'M
mense as this weight may appear, other nstan
ces are or record OF those who have exceeded
it. The fat man OF Lceuwarden, who Was ez
hbted before the medical faculty OF Ieydeu
and taken about from place to place IN iiolian'
in boat as u show, Weighed sos pounds; th'
woman whose history is given by Guns, weigh
ed 1872 pounds, Ahrcns, $50, and our country
; man, Edward Bright, the fat man Of Essex, IS h
was commonly called, weighed SIX hundred an
sixteen pounds.
This patient, krocker, was rescued from h.
immediate danger by copous and trequc
bleeding, by large doses ofcalome and the s
stituton of fasting for his enormous siu'llno =
I Purgative medicines were frequently given,
strictly vegetable diet and vegetable acids, wer
: ordered; and, in about four weeks he was reduc
y ed to about $40 pounds. IN the space OF tou
4 months, dnrng the half Of which time he tool
large doses Of iodine, with occasional pnigativ.
: the iodine being found very much TO acce.rat
absorption, he was reduced to 267 pounds, an
enloyed good health; was active, cheerful, au
! able to resume his former business At th
, time the history otthc case was concluded (Ar
gust 10, 1920 he was reduced to 2O9 pounds
his health being good, and his appetite mode
Lancet