The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1858-02-18
A Meaieat Man tisits the Woman who
has not tasted food In Twenty Months.

Ia Meaieat Man visits the Woman who
has not tasted food In Twenty Months.
A correspondent Of the Utica Herald
who signs himself "Medicus." gives the
following account Of recent vi'it to the
woman in Chester, Warren county, who
has not tasted food for twenty months :
HIsToKY Previous. Her name is Bet.
sey Hayes; native Of this state. aged 81.
is married, Of -sanguine tempera.
ment no hereditary disease known Of
in her ancestry. Her husband states
that she always enjoyed good health un.
I'll three years ago. when she was seized
with 6t, which from his description.
should say had been Of the conclusive
form Of hysteria. These commissions
continued to increase in severity with the
disease Incident to this condition superve.
ming, until Juno 9TH, 1855, wher she fell
into a state Of complete unconsciousness
fror" which she bas never been aroused
since this time she has partaken Of moth.
ing excepting little lemonade in Febru
ary, 1851, and since nothing, not except.
ing water. This her husband has given
his affidavit to. and gentlemen whose
veracity can not be questioned. have
watched her for weeks, and testify to the
same fact.
PRESENT CONDITION. Patient when
not in cvnvulsions. lies in state of com.
plete oplsthotonos: with the head 20 much
fexed that the forehead, instead Of the
occiput, occupies the pillow; the left arm
is Aexed at the elbow and wrist, with the
back Of The hand resting upon the stom.
nch; it has not been removed from this
position since June, 1856; there is q con.
slant and severe convulsive movement 10
one or the other shoulders; mouth open,
with constant lateral movement Of low.
er jaw; color, heat and moisture Of sur.
face S natural; the whole muscular sys.
tenn Of the extrtmilies 8 in a state or
tonic spasm; little or no emaciation
tongue, mouth and faucus appear natu.
raj. ...... ......,..... ..,,f .,.-s..5
All the senses except smelling seem to
be obliterated, while this is morbidly a.
cute, SO much SO that the smell OF food
Of all kinds. perfumery. and in fact any.
thing having an odor, will induce the most
violent convulsions, and excite severe
emesis; tbs pupil Of the eye presents the
appe france usually found in amaurosis /;
the che't is well developed. and from its
shape should judge the lungs to be fully
inflated; on percussion Of the chest. a
resonance clearer than in health. is OBJ
served over all parts: by auscultation.
no respiratory or expiratory murmur is
heard upoa the closest examination the
minute air cells seem to be filed with air
so completely as to allow none to enter
the average number Of respirstions are
one ounce in eight minutes. aud when she
does respre. it is with convulsivs mo.
tion similar to one trying "to catch his
breath" 1 ~
From examination. seould judge the
air was confined to the larger bronchial
tubes, and did not enter the air cells,
hence can not act on the blood; she is sta
ted to have been sixty-two minutes with.
out breathing. The heart occupies lis
normal position. and is Of natural size /;
acts violently but feebly is intermittent,
varying from 80 to 1870 beats per min
ute; there is a loud blowing sound be-
tween the first and second Of the heart.
so il is with difficulty the natural sounds
are distinguished ; the pulse can be sci
dom felt at the wrist the abdomen is
perfectly fucid. so that the vertebr@ Of
the spinal column are easily counted thro'
its hulls. m 81, bgas srs i
Such are some of the abdominal condi-
tions Of this truly wonderful woman.
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