New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-19
4 EAST OF FIFTY-FIVE Days.
From The GenHenun's Ma1d.ine.

From The GenHeniun's Magd-ine. .
A gentleman, about thirty-three years DID, had
often been subject to fits of depression and meian
choly. He was man of good social position, had
somewhat distinguished himself i'll his schoiastlc
life, and was always considered as extremely gnou.
natured aud thoughtful, though from his earliest
age obstinate and sclf-wiled. He was one OF those
OF whom It is said that if she took anything INTO
his head nothing would turn him." lie was net
subjected at time to much restraint ana, as ne
as comfortably provided for by a business when
called for but little personal attention, he really
had as small occasion for anxiety "a most men
nave known In religion he was not enthusiastic,
and his melancholy was untouched by any saudcn-
ing religious sentiment but he brooded over mag
mary evils, which he almost invariably referred 10
the stomach. and be sought advice from men OF all
kinds who protested 10 practise medicine, having
just much faith i'll a pretentous quack or IN the
veriest old woman as in the most regular professor
so long as his within for liking them lasted. In q
word, he became. as his frienGs said OF him. con
firmed hypochondriac. In figure he was naturally
very slie hit. and he was at all times q small eater
In king one day for advice fIom professor OF
as chIsmatIc school of physic, he gathered what he
supposed to be an entirely new light as to the cause
of his malady. The professor, very learned andlm-
posing detailed to the sufferer the ideas then pre-
vang as to the canse of primary digestion. and the
experiments which DR.. Beaumont had conducted on
that most interesting OF physiological Instructors,
Alexis st. Martin. This history of the accidental
shot which has made ST. Martin such figure IN his
tory even TO present time flor believe he still
ives the account of the opening into the stomach.
of tho notes that had been made IRON Visual
inspection of the process OF digestion, the descrp-
further explanation as to the solvent action of the
gastric JUICE on food. became a perfect fascination
for tie anxious invalid and when the learned ex-
postor improved the occasion by telling his patient
that all this demonsrative argument was but
prelude to the grand inference he drew as TO the
patients present condition, the inference being no
less than that the unfortunate patient
could not possibly digest food because lie produced
no gastric juice the enlightenment was complete,
positive, and unanswerabe.
From that day, by a kind OF logical determine
ton which it was difficult, and NAV say at once
impossible, to combat SO as to carry conviction to
the mind of the sufferer he maintained that.
as he had gastric juice, 1t was utterly
useless for HIM to take food OF any kind, except
water, which required no Digestion. he idea I'M
planted in his mud held its place, ard was never
uprooted Unfortunately. ii was confirmed by the
effects of first attempt at reduction of food he
stomach, doubt very feeble and irritable.
was relieved by reduction OF food, and herewith
occurrence by no means unusual, and perhaps
natural consequence.
Soon after the first attempt to reduce food to q
minimum. there succeeded another stage, in which
the desire for food seemed TO pass altogether
Then, when food was taken, by great eft jrt and
with much repugnance. 1t caused pain, disturbance,
and greater depression than usual
of mental power. with moro determined
dislike to repeat the process. and rmer and deep
er conviction III the hypothesis that he failed TO
produce any OF the natural digestive fluid.
In time there seemed to be an entire failure of de-
sire for food. loss OF sense OF taste oatbing at
the odOr of food. irritable objection to have the
subject of feeding even spoken about and finally
rcsolute determination not to take any more food
at all unless appetite or desire for some particular
kind quality of food revisited him. From that
moment the rigid fasting commenced OF water he
would partakc readily but not largely. for he said
that in quantity II heavy and cold. and caused
painful dIstensiOn. He would take IL to allay
thirst and nothing more. For ten days, under this
regime, he went about the house and walked occa-
sionally in the garden. refusing medical advice
After this he took to his bed, aud declined to rise
except to have the bed made He now wished for
medical attention. but was az resolute with his
medical advisers against taking food as he was
with the members of his family.
His room was kept quiet and warm, and he was
permitted To sleep us often and as comfortably as
could be wished. He died on the ffty-fifth day,
having abstained from all solid food and partakcn
of no other drink than water for seven weeks and
four days. Once in this time an effort MADE TO
feed him. periorce. with milk; but he resisted so
determinedly, and subjected himself to such dan
ger by his resistance, that the attempt WAS not
made second time.
He sank into the EXTREMIST state OF emaciatiOn
during the first three four weeks OF his trial. af-
ter which he did not seem TO me to undergo further
change, although saw him almost daily. He slept
a great DEAL and at times he tried to read; but the
effort at reading soon became wearsome and pain
full, and was never moro than a mere listess Occu-
patton. lie was not at any tune irritable
was fond of hearing the current topics
of the day. but he wcared also at being con-
versed with, and would drop off into semi-somno-
lcnt state while conversng. never heard him
complain of any PAIN discomfort; he did not seem
to express feel desire to live, and he certainly
never expressed any desire to die.
On the morning of his death he for the first time
from the commencement OF his fast, expressed that
he would eat. and that which he wished for
fruit or raw vegetable, with cream. An attempt
was made immediately to pacify his desire, under
tho hope that If he once recommended to take food
of one kind. he might be tempted to take prom
Using support but 1t of no avail, ana, III fact
nothing was swallowed Soon after this he sank
into Inconsistencies, and so succumbed.