The Osceola times., 1881-08-20
LIVING BY ABSORPTION.
A Woman Who Has Taken Neither Foso
Nor Water For Eight Months.
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| bhiChSo lHDuuc.
Mention has been made in the news.
! papers at various times of the case of
Mrs. Nellie Ingram, who. since last Oc-
tober, has teen in bed, unable to take
| food or water. Mrs. Ingram is now 80
| years old, and has been twice married
her present husband beisg Henry In.
gram, a team,ter. n girlhood, as Miss
Nellie Dunn, she Was hearty and robust,
a specimen of blooming health, and had
more than ordinarily fine constitution,
which she retained as she advanced in
wears. On Oct. IL, 1880, she stepped
into DR.. +. Merritt's Office to have a
tooth extracted. She was then IN the
most perfect health, and weighed not
far from $50 pounds. The tooth was a
double one, far back in the jaw, firm
and fast ana very troublesome from a
cavity. Undoubtedly the pain and an.
noyance she had experienced from it
excited her nervous system to that de-
gee that it took but little to produce a
decided shock. The tooth was extracted
with much difficulty, and produced in
tense pain. Mrs, Ingram became great
ly excited, which eliminated in a nei-
GUS shock. A hack was called and was
taken to her home in proslrated con.
ditlon, and was Immediately after seized
with severe pain in the bowels, which
has continued night and day ever since,
accompanied by sickness and nausea
She repeatedly attempted to take food
to sustain life, but it only produced
loathing and deathly sickness, and was
at length given up. These spasms oc-
cur, however, whether she is given food
or not.
As soon as it became certain to her
physician that all attempts to keep her
alive by introducing food into her stom-
ach were useless, he began giving her
injections, thereby sustaining life by
process of absorption by the walls or the
intestines. Life has also been sustained
highly nutritious liquids, with an oc-
pores open. She has lived for the past
eight months in this wav, not morsel
of food having passed her lips. Her
weight has been reduced from $50 TO less
than eighty pounds, but, although her
body is so much reduced, her face still
preserves quite healthy appearance,
and would not strike one as belonging
to person who has been obliged to go
without food and who has suffered such
excruciating pains. Her nerves are at
such a high tension that she is unable to
sleep more than two hours in twenty
four.
This sort of rest is generally taken to-
ward mornings, when the vitality of her
body is very low. With the returning
activity of the senses she begins the
retchings, which spasmodlc efforts of
Nature continues through the day, until
her system is completely exhausted and
she falls into the unsatisfactory sleep
described. Within the last few days,
owing to the strain on her throat by the
frequent contortions of the muscles dur
ing retching, she has substantially lost
her voice, and is unable to speak above
a low whisper. A constant fever attends
her, accompanied by an inordinate thirst:
but she cannot drink any more than eat.
The case has excited uncommon inter
est in the medical fraternity throughout
the State, ana many have come TO see
her. IL is curious to see hunger appeas-
ed and thirst quenched by outward ap-
plicalions.