Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-03-27
A SINGULAR CASE.
sfan Swallows nis False Teeth snA
starves to Death After Seven Weeks of
Akany.

sfaH Swallows nis False TsesA ana
starves to Death Afeer Seven Weeks of
Azsny.
One evening recently Levi Wagonsel-
Ter. aged thirty-eight years, and en-
ployed In q cotton factory, entered q
restaurant in Philadelphia TO get sup
per. When about half through the meal
he suddenly felt something sharp and
pointed going down his throat, causing
him intense pain. For q moment he
thought no had swallowed q large and
jagged piece of bone, but putting his
hand TO his mouth instinctively on feel
ing tho pain, he found that his false
teeth were missing, and he knew that il
must have been they which had gono
down his throat. The teeth were three
in number. They were fastened to q
silver plate, and had been in his mouth
for many years. Recently the hooks
holding them in place had worn loose,
and the artificial teeth had annoyed
him by falling from his mouth several
times. Plate and all had gone down
his throat, and he could feel them
lodged against his breast. Alarmed and
suffering intensely, Wagonseller went
to his home. which was in suburb of
the city. He could eat no solid food,
and for two days took nothing into his
stomach. On the third day he man.
aged to force down little bread and
milk. On this day the sufferer went to
the University hospital to zee DIR.
Agnew, who, after examining him,
seemed to have little hope of saving his
life.
Wagonseller then came to Philadel-
rhia to stop at his sisters house to re-
ceive treatment from her physician, DIR.
Stewart, who was called upon TO visit
the patient on the fifth day after the
swallow OF gin as the readiest means of
dislodging the teeth. which still re-
mained in the throat. The patient fol-
lowed his advice. and almost Immediate
ly felt the teeth going down. But this
only led to worse result. The teeth
moved down and lodged about one inch
and half above the entrance to the
stomach. Had they passed into the
stomech, according TO medical au-
thority, the chief danger in the case
would have been over. But lodging az
they did the patient could swallow moth
ing, not even milk or water. 1t was alb
solutely impossible to get anything
down his throat. Milk was recommend
ed, but when !: would be poured down
as soon as the glass would be removed
from bis lips it would come back, exud-
ing from ears, eyes, mouth and nostrils.
The strangest of all was what followed.
The man lived for seven weeks without
an lfAxx-t,.r. . Ill f.. 4 Il
water. Even the Juice OF an orange he
could not swallow. From . stout,
hearty man, weighing probably 100
pounds, he dwindled away 10 a mere
skeleton. His hands became horrible
TO look at by reason of their loss of flesh.
Strangely enough, too, all the time the
man, who was perfectly conscious and
rational, had no appetite, no craving
for food. The smell of victuAls, he said.
made him sick. From the time he went
TO his sisters house, four days after the
accident. he had not stool on bis feet,
lying alternately on a bed and IN an in
valid's chair. This posture ne kept, at
the recommendation OF his physician,
until from lack of food he became 30
weakened that there was no option in the
matter, and he had to lie all the time.
Operations with an instrument was sug-
gested by his physician, but this his
sister would not consent TO, unless as
surance could be given that Il would re-
suit in saving his life. This, of course,
the physician could not promise, and
no such operation was tried.
After being for over seven weeks with
out food Wagonseiler died, death re-
sulting from inanition, or, in other
words, starvation. To the very last he
had no appetite for food. The day be-
fore his death he began to get short of
breath and told his relatives that he felt
himself dying. Up to the last hour he
retained his senses and talked freely
about his case. instructing bis relatives
to have . post-mortem examination
made upon his body. In accordance
with his request the examination was
made by Drs. Stewart and Agnew. The
plate, with the teeth in ii, was found
about one inch and half above the en-
trance Of the stomach, the hooks firmly
imbedded in the fiesh. There we're
marks at certain intervals in the throat,
showing the progress of the plate as IL
passed downward. the prints OF the teeth
being in several places plainly visible.
Had the plate, which was about two
inches long and an inch vide, passed
into the stomach, in the opinion of the
physicians ii would have dissolved and
the mans life been saved. As il was.
the plate passed down the throat in
transverse form. and once lodged at the
furthest point, displacement was i'm.
possible.
The GAwz~w.<sa