The Hickman courier., 1878-07-12
DEATH FROM STARVATION

DEATH FROM STARVATION.
Woman Lives Three Months Without Food
Remarkable Case.
Medical men here and elsewhere will
undoubtedly be deeply interested in
reading the subjoined sketch, in which
the death of young lady is recorded,
who, for the last three years, has been
unable to retain solid food of any descTip-
tion upon her stomach for more than
two minutes at time, and who, for
three months, has not psrtaken of nour-
ishment of any description. A similar
case, so cay the medical authorities, has
never occurred in this city, and for this
reason, if for no other, members of the
fraternity will be glad to learn about the
case.
About three years ago the young
lady, whose name is Agnes r. Donald
son, was employed as an operative in a
thread mill at Pawtucket, Rhode Island
While working in the mill she was un-
fortunate enough to have the index
finger of her left hand so badly crushed
in the machinery that amputation was
considered necessary, and was performed
by a physician residing in that town,
who informed Miss Donaldson that her
nervous system had received a shock
from which it would never recover.
Nothing further was thought of the
matter for some time. She subsequently
began 10 complain of severe headaches
and an inability to retain solid food upon
her rstomach. A physician was summoned,
who, it is said by the girls mother, gave
:. he opinion that she was suffsrins
from liberation OF the sU0maCn, and
accordingly treated her for that comN
plant. She grew no better, however,
every morsel of food that was taken into
the stomach being Immediately thrown
up.
To such an extent did the complaint
grow upon her that it became necessary
to have a mug in her lap at meal time,
into which, Immediately after eating,
she vomited. In many instances, TO use
her own language, it seemed as if she
threw up more than she had eaten. Mat
ters went on in this way for about one
year, the patient becoming gradually
weaker. At the expiration of that time
she was taken to the "Good Samaritan
Home" corner of Allen and Chambers
a. he hn
immediate supervision of DR.. Kennear
for about three months. For two
months of that time the only nourish~
ment she had was obtained by the injec>
ton of beef tea into the rectum. There
being no probability OF her ultimate re-
covery, she WAS taken to her home in the
rear ofNo. 10 Norman street, where her
death occurred on Saturday morning at
o'clock. For three months, as can be
proved by Dfs. Mcdonald and Dale,
both o. whom were in attendance upon
her at the time of her death, she has not
been able to retain even drink of water.
Almost every day for the last month the
physicians have been obliged, in order to
relive the intense pain the poor girl was
suffering, to administer subcutaneous in
jections of morphia- After her death an
autopsy was held with the following re-
suit 1t showed that death was caused
by chronic Inflammation of the stomach,
not liberation, as had been supposed.
The mucous membrane, in which the
gastric juice is secreted, was completely
obliterated, while the stomach itself was
badly decomposed. In the stomach there
was discoved two ounces of of dark green
fluid for the presence of which the phys.
lcians are unable TO account, as she
had not swallowed anything for three
months. They suppose it to be secre-
tion of gall from the bladder. So thin
had the walls of the stomach become
that in several places the operating ply
sician's finger could be plainly seen
through them. The Inflammation was
so intense that it had extended up into
the mouth, causing intense pain, and just
prior to her death it became necessary TO
rinse the inside of her mouth with ice
water. The mother is positive in de-
cIaring that for three years the girl has
been unable to retain food in a solid
state upon her stomach, and there seems
to be no good reason for deubting the
statement. There were no indications
that there had ever bean an ulcer in the
stomach, and death was caused by star
vation, superinduced by the chronic in
hammation of the stomach.
The fact that she had been troubled
with her stomach prior to the accident
to her hand, effectually disposes of the
theory that the shock occasioned by the
smputation of the finger was the cause
of trouble, and this being the case, 1t
becomes an interesting question. What
was the primary cause Of the difficulty
Miss Donaldson was twenty-five years
and four months old at the time OF her
death was member of the Church oi
the Advent, and was loved and respected
wherever known.
The body is very much emaciated, but
in other respects looks well. When the
length of time Miss Donaldson went
without partaking of either food OF
drink is taken into consideration, an idea
can be gained OF the wonderful power