New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-12
rl1r Suicide OLE RrBENSTErG.

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL 1HEoidFS REGARD
ING VOLUNTARY MISUNDERSTANDING THAT
HE DIED FROM WANT or FOOD.
The death of Rubensten Is the subject 81
interest and study among physicians aud physoiogs
II is generally conceded That Eo committed suicide ~
de.er,niped and long-contuued abstinence from food
He died of starvation with food within his reach, thing
which many physicians Of prominence have heretofore
held was impossible. On the morning OF rs dea'h
Keeper Siinson supplied him with two boiled ees' some
bread and % cup OF tea When Dr.. ". Shepherd Inc
County Physician. mado a post-nortem examination "a
few hours afterward. not particle Of food was found
within the body. aud the stomach ana niesiincs ap
peared as II he had taken no food to long um" IL was
then anpsrept that the IAN had thrown his meals away.
and an examination Of the waterppe 10 the sewer re-
yealed the articles which he had thu' disposed
Of The attepaated condition of tne frame
OF tho prisoner also indicated starvation Ills sim
adhered the bones with hardly any intervening flesh
presenting appearance Of sirly~ed parchment IL
would have been difficult matter to have hung MIN
without attaching weights his feet He weighed only
Is pounds but he was Of medium saur" and had prob
ably OF one time been man Of good trauir. Hardy
drop OF blood vas found in ais brain and very little IN
in HE body which had been dried and sbrlyced up IL
the upper lobe Of his eft lung there wa discovered
small cavity but Dr. Shepherd declares altogether
insufeent 70 cause death would No, have inter cred
will a lOuk life. The Drgu the he TT ~ hai mere was OF
a. To- n Ms enorpetaIly GiminuiiVa size though
poyg were IN their normal condition.
The interest the s excited ~ the iect hat tx
pereuclng-as is claimed by some De must nave e2-
pcrenced-the te Tiblc cravings Of hunger when nave
sometimes led men 10 Kill their Fellows have ~ct iC'n
crazy or have forced The 10 ghaw wood fOD ana oven
their own bodies IN their agony tlls i1Hn day elf cay
had the almost precrUatus selfcOui" 10 tnr"" iOod
away wien IL was offered him. Some physi@.au5 nave
asserted that N the case OF a. such q POSI-
tion rs Rubcnstein the will would he oFtrpo"cIods
AMI that the arms would carry tho food 10 The mou III
stnevoly in spite OF the viii. II y assorted ia op0s
ZION To ths theory at BubcpstcG dd bot caro- Tor fool
s.tcr having become weakened by erunE Only .mia
0uanfiies RE grew Thinner and thinner ana weaker
sad weaker and his vitality became cXAGu ed tAcro
was less demand for food until finally The siRt % - be
cane uluseatng and disiastcf 20 Kim thus iiis con
dition assisted him Ga carrying cut s dc-ia g" starving
hnsn.f death. Ia BUpJatO- tls, q oi0rs utllH ii
exsInpln u person aflcted with Gsrasc ~ sea tiai
he car cat nothing a1 hates he sigt oil tGoi " COZ
sumptiyes who lave rejected HOuuShMcnj bui' ihtlr
bones pgutiulcd lr0Hgh their lesh Of ptrsoHs greatly
troubled III mind Or bowed down VITA grici of rtnrss
who cannos eat TIfso persons, ihpuY actually i!jhs
for want % nOlr- Enieut, II s Claimed 40 nCS sef llc
paDgs OF HUNGER which not even fe ~ t1c pl'scice
OF the greater trouble IL Is urged ta Ce t,t9ss al lc
law The ieat ~ pun-hmen-tcMP 0!d AID e. iiiti-iIN
EupeIsfions, hs rcmcrso and las a1ect coHdloH rem
dgred uh cnsem oBiVOHs OF cravings iOi IV', oven il
such cravings were felt az all