The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-10
Living Six Months without Food.

The patient in this case is a young
lady, of fine form and great personal
beauty of face, whose home is in the
vicinity of Greensburg. Her story is of
such an extraordinary character as to APP
pear incredible, were it not vouched for
by professional gentlemen of unimpeach-
able veracity. DR.. Cote was the first
physician here whose attention was di-
rected to the case. For obvious reasons
the name of the young lady cannot be
mentioned. She is, however, described
as being about twenty two years of age,
the picture of health, and weighing about
$50 pounds. The exceptional character
of this veritable description will be APP
preciated when it has been said that for
three months before the time that an OPP
portunity was presented to describe her
she had not eaten a morsel of food This
startling abstinence seemed to have no
external effect. The girls complexion
was bright and clear, and her splendid
physique carried with it the irresistible
impression that no insidious disease
could have a Judgment IN that fair tene-
ment. But the fair external was a terri
BILE illusion. She was so weak that it
was work of the most painful character
for her to drag her weary limbs after her.
Her story was calculated to intensity,
rather than to clear away, the mystery of
her rare atfliction. She did not have the
slightest idea of a probable cause for her
suffering. She was not sick. She had
neither pains nor aches. She did not
suffer from hunger, She had not the
slightest desire to eat. The cessation of
appetite had been sudden and absolute.
No premonitory symptoms of disease
were manifested before the strange all
ment seized her. 1t was in July last that
she first passed whole day without eat
ing. The day before her appetite, so
far as she could remember, was as usual.
She did not eat for week, and her fam
lily became alarmed.
All known specifics to provoke an APP
petite were tried without effect, and so
the second week passed. In this early
stage of the disease the young lady lost
little of her vitality, and this fact seemed
to reassure her anxious friends. But
when the weeks extended into months,
and there was no apparent change in
the young girls condition, except that
she daily grew weaker, the most serious
apprehensions were aroused. AS may
well be conceived, things were not per-
mitted to get to this pass without direct
ing the attention of physician to the
case. Extreme measures were not re-
sorted to until the girl had been month
without eating. Without intending to
cast the slightest reflection upon the
Oh of hn yhn 70 hat
time had charge of the case, it may be
said that it was quite beyond his grasp.
Experiments, almost without number,
were unavailingly resorted to, and as a
sort of forlorn hope electricity was
called into service. While all these ex-
periments were useless for good, they
were productive of much suffering to the
despairing patient. Finally she refused
to longer subject herself to torture and
resigned herself to her fate.
A change of scene was recommended,
and short visit to the home of a relative at
Irwin Station was projected. Thus it was
that she came to pass through this city.
She was on her way home again when
her relatives took her TO see DR.. Cote.
Her experience with physicians had
aroused feeling of distrust and aver
sion of the profession, and she was very
10th to again put herself under treat
ment. AT that time-it was in Septem-
Der last-she had not eaten anything but
a few morsels of candy since the July
before. Her case excited the doctors
greatest interest. He at once made
diagnosis, and after much persuasion in
duced her to agree to remain in the city,
under his care, for q few weeks, SO that