The daily gazette., 1881-06-20
KEPT ALIVE BY ABSORPTION.
A woman who has Taken Neither
Food NOR Water for Eight Months.


Food NOR Water for Eight Months.
BATTLE CREEK, Mich, June lo.--
Mention has been made lii the news-
pa )ers at various times OF the case OF Mrs.
Nellie Ingram, who, since last October,
has been In bed, unable 10 take food or
water. Mrs. Ingram is now 80 years old,
aud has been twice married, her present
husband being Henry Ingram, team
ster. In glrlhood, as Miss Nellie Dunn,
she was hearty and robust, q specimen Of
blooming health, and had more than
ordinary fine constitution, which she re-
tained as she advanced in years. On Oct.
IL, 1882 she stepped into DR.. N.
Merrltt's Office to have tooth extracted.
She was then in the most perfect health,
and weighed not far from 180 pounds,
The tooth was = double one, far back In
the jaw, firm and fast, and very troubles
some from cavity. Undoubtedly the
pain and annoyance she had experienced
from it had excited her nervous system
TO that degree that 1t took but little 70
produce decided shock. The tooth was
extracted with much difficulty, and pro-
duced intense pain. Mrs. Ingram became
greatly excited, which culmiDated In .
nervous shock. A hack was called, and
she was taken to her home In q prostra-
ted condition, and was Immediately af-
terward seized with severe pain In the
bowels, which has continued night and
day ever since, accompanied by sickness
and nausea. She repeatedly attempted
TO cat food TO sustain life, but it only
produced a.loathing and deatbly sick
ness, and was At length given up. These
spasms occur, however, whether she Is
given food OF not. yM A4 Sis 4
AS soon as 1t became certain TO her
physician that all attempts to keep her
alive by Introducing food into her
stomach were useless, he began giving
her injections, thereby sustaining life by
a process of absorption by the walls Of
tile intestines. Life has also been sus-
tained by baths of beef tea, milk, and
such highly nutritious liquids, with an
open. She has lived for the past eight
months In this way,not morsel Of food
having passed her lips. Her weight has
been fednced from 1S0 to less than 80
pounds; but although her body is so
much reduced, her face still preserves
quite healthy appearance, ,and would not
strike one as belonging to q person who
has beed obliged to 60 without food, and
who has suffered such excr uciating pains.
Her nerves are at such high tension
that she is unable to sleep more than
two hours In twenty-four. This short
rest is generally taken toward morni ig,
when the vitality In her body Is very
low. With returning activity Of the
senses she begins the retchings, which
spasmodic Efforts of nature continue
through the day until her sysem is com
pletely exhausted aud she tails into the
Unsatisfactory sleep described. Within
the last few days, owing to the strain on
her throat by the frequent contortions OF
the muscles during retching, she has |
substially lost her voice and Is unable TO
speak above low whisper. A constant |
fever attends her, accompanied by an
inordinate thirst, bit she cannot drink |
any more than eat.
The case has excited uncommon in
terest in the medical fraternity through |
out the State, and many have come to |
see her. 1t is curious to see hunger |
appeased and thirst quenched by out
ward applications.