Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-05
THE WOMAN WHO LIVES WITHOUT
EATING.

Medicus," a correspondent of the Utica
On. " Morning Herald writes as follows of this
remarkable case
Having heard and read much concerning a
woman who lives without eating I resolved
upon visiting her, at her home in Chester.
warren Co, \. i.,-instead Of Saratoga Co,
as has been stated-and if the history of the
case contains enough Of interest for publication,
l most cheerfully tender it to you
HISTORY PREvIoUs.-Her name is Betsy
Hays native of this State, aged 81, a mar
rled woman, Of nervo-sanguine temperament;
no hereditary disease known of in her ances-
tors. Her husband states that she always en-
joysd good health until some three years ago,
when she was seized " with a fit which from
his description / should say had been Of the
convulsive form of hysteria. These commissions
continued to increase in severity with the dis
eases incindent to this condition superyenng,
until June 4th, 1856 when she fell into a state
Of complete INCONSISTENCIES, from which she has
never been aroused. Since this time she has
Partsken of nothing excepting little lemonade,
In February. 1857, and since then nothing. not
excepting water. This her husband has given
his affidavit to, and whose veracity cannot be
questioned, have watched her for weeks, and
testified to the same fact
PRESENT CUNrItIos.-Patient when not in
commissions, lies in a state of complete epistho-
tOnOs with the head so much flexed that the fore
head. instead of the occiput. occupies the pill
low the left arm Is fexed at the elbow and
wrist, with the back of the hand resting upon
the stomach; it has not been removed from its
position since June, 1856; there is a constant
and severe cOnvulsive movement in one or the
other shoulders; mouth open. with a constant
lateral movement of lower jaws color. heat
and moisture of surface natural; the whole
muscular system of the extremities is in a state
oil tonic spasm little or no oemaciatiOn-tongue
mouth and fauces. appear natural.
All the senses except smell seem to be oblit-
Grated while this is morbidly acute, so much so
that the smell of food of all kinds, perfumery,
and in fact anything having an odor, will in
duce the most violent cOnvulsiOns, and excite
severe efforts at emesis; the pupil of the eye
presents the appearance usually found in am
aurOsis; the chest is well developed and from
its shape should judge the lungs to be fully
inflated on percussion of the chest, a reson-
ance clearer than in health is observed over all
parts; by auscultation, no respiratory or ex-
piratory murmur is heard upon the closest ex-
animation, the minute air cells seem to be
filled with air, so completely as to allow none
to enter the average number of respirations
are one once in eight minutes; and when she
does respire, it Is with a cOnvulsive motion,
similar to one trying to catch his breath from
examination l should judge the air was con-
fined TO the larger bronchial tn bes. and did not
enter the air cells hence cannot act on the
blood she is stated to have been sxty-two
minutes without breathing. The heart occu-
pies its normal position, and is of natural size
it acts violently but feebly is intermittent va
rying from 50 to $50 beats per minute there is
loud blowing sound, between the first and sec
Ond sounds of the heart. so it is with difficulty
the natural sounds are distinguished the pulse
can be seldom felt at the wrist; the abdomen is
perfectly daccid, so that the vertebra of the
spinal column are easily counted through its
nulls.
Such are some of the abnormal conditions of
this truly wonderful woman. A more minute
report for medical men, will be prepared and
published in a short time. l will offer no de-
ductiOns, leaving each one to form his own con-
clusOns from the facts here stated.