Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-04-21
THE CONTEST NIIH STARVATION
OVER.
After a Struggle Of fOrty-seVen Days
and FOrty.flYe Minutes.

and FOrty-flTe Minutes.
Iowa CITY, April l2.-The one story
lead, coloTed brick cottage, corner of
Clinton and Burlington streets. is no
longer center of attraction. The sad
tragedy that begun on the Esd day Of
FEBRUARY last at noon ended to-day at 49,
"a o'clock! Miss Hattie Duel has lived
AZ days and A minutes without nourish-
m mt other than water. She was at her
d 'tth 81 years, months and II days
old. Since Saturday she has failed con-
stantly. at times sinking to the very verge
of death. At 1890 Mrs. Alysworth said
TO her Sister Hattie, you're almost
gone" Her face was peaceful and calm,
as she quietly shut her fingers by her
side. her sign for 'yes," and raising her
hand slight y she pointed the iLdex
finger upward for half minute, her
sign for death. At noon it was very evil
dent the end was near and the family
gathered about her bedside. There was
no visible change in her countenance or
action, not the slightest tremor of muscle
or quiver of eyelid, when, at forty min
utes past 12. she ceased to breathe. The
family could not, for a few minutes, be
sure of her death, for though expecting
that it would be quite and painless, they
had thought there would be some slight
struggle.
1t had been determined that post NOR
tenn examination would be held. and the
following was ascertained by the opera
ton. The body was much emaciated.
and intirely destitute of odor. The brain
deprived of its membrane weighed
fortytwo and half ounces. The dura
mater was slightly tinged, the blood
thickend by congestion and mottled in
spots The pia matter was brown
straw color, slightly Opaque. The drach-
mold membrane contained blood. The
liver contained much serum mingled
with blood. Many particles of albumi-
nous matter lay between the membranes.
At the base of the brain was about an
ounce of fluid matter of a straw color.
The pia matter was cOngested at the YER
tex and the subtance slightly effuseI.
The tissues of the body were pale and
bloodless. There was considerable hepiti
cation of both lungs and extreme adhe.
sion of both pluro. There was nothing
particular about the heart. The liver
was nominal, but both it and the lungs
were very much collapsed and atrophied
The spleen was deep dark, blush brown
The gall-blader contained one ounce
and a half of jet black liquid. The stom
ach contained a small quantity of fluid
and appeared normal. The intestine!
and surrounding tissues were entirely
normal, The intestines were wholly emp
ty except aslight,accumulation of faces
in the rectum. The kidneys were nor
NAL; the adlpose and muscular tissue:
were almost entirely gone. There was
very little blood. but it was apparently
normal. The vocal chords were found
to be very thick and clubshaped, pre-
sumably by non-usage, and the doctors
think it douetful if she could have spoken
in an ordinary tone of voice had she even
desired to. Only about two weeks ago,
however, she answered in a distinct
whisper, II don't know" The brain,
heart and stomach have been removed
for careful examination, which will
not be concluded for some time. The
body weighed 50 pounds. The natural
weight was aboat 100. The doctors say
the appearance of he body indicated
death by starvation, but they are surpris-
ed at the generally natural condition of
all the organs, there being nothing un-
usual or that would indicate death as re-
sulting from exceptional causes or mark
ed insanity i.
The general expression to-day, more
particularly since the death has become
known, is that the family should not be
harshly criticised for their course, and
that they did the right thing in neither
sending her to an insane asylum no re-
sorting to forced feeding to save her
life.