Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-23
NO FOOD FOB FIVE MONThS.

NO FOOD FOB FIVE M0NTHS.
A Gtri Twenty Years or Age m Fort Plain
Re,aIns Her Hold on Life for 1853 Days
without EGtina a siorsei.
Interest In The case Of Kate smulscy, the
young girl who, for 1853 days, has been IN
voluntarily starving TO death, Is spreading
throughout the neighborbood Oh fort
Plan, n. Y. a special gives Inc iolio"-
ing in addition TO what has already APP
reared in the Dispatch: Within the past
week or two scores OF persons have come
to this village from places many miles away
to see or inquire about this remarkable
girl. To-day she was very low, ana Tue
members OF her family believe that she
caprot live more than few hours longer,
Although she has suffered great pain OF
late she has not felt any inclination TO take
any noUrishment.
The brother OF Miss Smulsey said to-
night that her parents and every MEMBER
Of the family had coaXed and implored the
girl to swallow some fsod. but WITHOUT
avail. Even when her agony caused her
body to sway TO and fro with the const mt
regularity OF pendulum, she turne. her
face away from the most tempting morses
that could be prepared, and said that she
could eat nothing. She was conscious ana
able TO talk this afternoon.
Kate Smulsey was bright and industri-
Gus Girl little more than two years ago.
She was then eighteen years OF age, and had
acquired an excellent reputation among the
good people Of this vicinity as dress
maker. She was quick and willing, ana
always had plenty to do. In July, lSSz'
she was taken sick and was confined to her
bed. She gradually improved, and for
short time was able TO be about. In Octo-
bor, however, she grew worse and was
comVcllcd TO return to the sick bed, from
| which She has never since been able TO
| Use. The first symptom Of her disease
was trembling and shaking Of the right
hand followed by an Involuntary motion
Of her right leg and foot. After awhile
| Ter head bad a sidewise movement to the
| riZht. Doctor. diagnosed the ease as 81.
VituS dance. and the usual remedies were
! applied. but with no benefit to the patient.
| The gill grew worse, and the motion. NJ
first confined 10 the limbs OF one side,
seized her whole body. This motion was
al fir; perpendicular, ana like that OF
vcrson saving wood, only not so violent.
| To this particular motion was soon added
one partly rolling, and the two were CON-
| b.nCd. Lately the motion has been rolling
only, the roll, constantly moving her en-
| tire body from side to side. with perfect
regularity, at the rate Of tity per min
ute.
Tbi, motion Is perpetual for twenty-five
or tWonty-thTec hours out OF twenty-fOur,
auG il perfectly Involuntary. the poor
cirl would De quiet u she could. For an
hour or moreover more than two In
,he night she is mo1onleSS. She then
sleeps from sheer exhaustion, but Is aWak-
enod by the slightest noise. The moment
that she wakens the eea>elcSs rolling be-
Gins. to stop only when worn ont. Sht
again sinks 10 rest. Some persons doubted
the necessity OF this constant moving 0l
the girls body. and thought it wa-
voluntary. One physician sat by ben
side for three hours. during which
time there was not the slightest dim
mutton Of the rolling. Another phy,i
clan said he could stol it ifhc wished, and
scizipg her by the shoulders, held her tight
lyaf,w minutes; but the instant he re
taxed bis hold her body resumed its mo
ton. She feels the result OF this treatmcn
vet, aud says that there is not spot on bel
rerson that i not sore. The weight Oi
pin is actually painful to her, and cannp
be endured. lIe1 arms are larger an(
harder than one would expect for youn.
lady Of her size in perfect health. To tn
touch they indicate strong muscle. IL
fact, all the muscles OF her body are wei
developed. This is accounted for by tn
constant motion OF her body, which keep
them in perpetual exercise.
Another remarkable thing about Mis-
SmulSes's Csc il that she has no bed-sore
on her person. In most cases where per
sons are confined to their beds Tor lon
period sores show themselves and becom
very troublesome. In her case, althoug
, she has not left her bed since year las
| October, there are none. Since Januar
lst she has not been able 10 raise her hea
. from the pillow. About three months az
she began to have trouble with her eyes
,, A strong light was painful to her. SD
lies now in a darkeDed room and wear
: blue glasses. The color OF TIE glasses con
; trasts strongly with the pale, white fac
and the snowy bedding.
, During the early part OF her sicknes
! Miss SmulSey relishcd deIicacies. and th
: neighbors sent in such little dishes As the
/, thought would please her. Her appetlt
was not rayenous, still she ate Is much
, an invalid ordinarily would eat. A
lcnyth SOLID food distressed her, and sine
, March IL, 1884, she has not swallowed
, morsel. For some time she was able
, drink either milk or water, and drank tw
or three glasses each day. AFTER
, time she could not drink milk, and waite
only was taken, and that in small quar-
a. titles. At length she could not eve
. drink water. one day she drank glass {
wafer. and was soon seized with conyu
. -ions, and for two days was IN terrlol
y distress. She bloated till she measure
al
+, waist. During the last eight week, she l1
not swallowed drop Of water or an
other nouiishment. Attempts have bee
made to give her 4 teaspOonful OF watel
! but invariably it brought on CONFUSION
- and great distress. Every eXeTti0n seen
/ 10 bloat her. Long conversation causes he
: 20 turn purple and bloat. She has no de
|, -ire TO eat. and thirst is satisfied by holdin
= water i'm her mouth and eiectlng II. Tn
!, she does several times day. Her Stomac
: feels full, as IL sne had recently eaten
A hearty meal.
= Miss Smulsey's sickness has been accom-
4 psnied by no delusiOn whatever, ana NJ
= mind is clear and rational. She would !
/. glad TO eat il she could. and, at the roque'
:, OF her physician, she has made attempts
eat or drink. with the results described
All efforts to feed her in other ways than
the mouth have proved futile. There
no denial Of the positive fact that for II
;, DAYS I'D to noon to-day she has not taste
: food. and that for weeks she has not swa
= lowed anything. Her case stands wltho'
J. parallel. Reporters, doctors, scienti'
;, have visited her and have gone away pu
r. zled.
= TIE Smulsey family are Germans, al
= are highly respected. DR.. Zoller, the a
- tending physician. says that the girl Tool
= a. though suffering from normal drops
a DR.. Ayers thinks it peculiar form OF
- Nitus's dance.
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