New-York tribune., 1885-08-11
STUBBORN FIGHT WITH DEATH
YIELDING ONLY AFTER HALF A CENTURY.

YIELDING ONLY AFTER HALF A CENTURY.
PATIENT WHO PERSISTED IN OUTLYING HIS
NURsEs-AN ABNORMAL LIVER.
Robert Hill. age sixty, died yesterday in
Bellevue Hospital and ended what has been looked upon
by physicians a most remarkable demonstration Of
the tenacy with which the human body will cling to
life under the most adverse circumstances. Hill
native of England, and born within stones throw
OF OF the famous racing stables there. He early DO
veloped liking for horses, and being stout though
small boy, he became attendant at the stable,
and in time given mount In local
race which he handiy. The trainer of the stable
taking fancy to the boy gave him points IN riding and
he generally In the In which he rode, and
fearless. selfreliant, and had good judgment,
career OF prominence jockey seemed to be opening
before him. But It was ehded While riding .
actious twoyearod to the post the horse became un
geable, Runaway, aud In jumping fence un
seated his rider. throwing him upon picket fence
The end Of Of the plckets broke the boys
ribs the right side and penetrated his lung
He was taken from the field unconscious and
lay for about year on the verge OF
death In his home He partly recovered his health but
did not have the strength to again mount horse ana
drifted into n different business
He was constantly troubled with pain in his
side, where he had been injured, and having by the
death Of uncle inherited a moderate fortune, he
travelled from place to place seeking the advice and as
sjsance ply sIcans Of emnence relief from
his constant agony But It avaied him nothing He
to this country about afteen years ago, and had
been here but short timo when the change In climate
brought on a severe Inflammation of the lungs.
This disease In combination with tho difficulty
from the injury he had received set up complication
Of conditions serious that he given up to die.
But despite the prophecy Of those attending him. after
remaining several weeks In comaose condition, he
rallied and after period OF careful nursing he was
f., Lao "a hal nd xvaIk
From this time he became q confirmed invalid, and
It was with great difficulty that he could take care OF
himself At the place where he had been injured years
before the pain was worse than IL
had ever been, and finally small SWELL
ing appeared that in time developed into an abscoss
He then became subject OF empyema, and there was an
opening constantly maintained in his right side about
half inch In diameter, through which there was a
ceaseless discharge Of mucus. He was admitted to
Bellevue Hospital October 25 1875 aud has been an
inmate since. When he camo the discharge from
his side had been going for than year. and he
emaciaed and hardly had strength enough to raise
HIS hand 10 his head He placed on cot in ward
IL. and was expected to die at any moment
He could eat, and the constant
flow Of mucus was sappng his vitality
every The pain however, that bad been such an
for many years. ceased after the formation
Of the abscess and he lay for days and weeks unnour
shed save in tho most triang manner, waiting for
death.
II did come and to the surprise OF every one he
slowly recovered strength to be able to sit up In
his cot after long time he could walk short dis
around the ward In order to facilitate the drain
age OF the lung and give 1t FREQ and unchecked HOW
from the body rubber tube about half inch In dame
ter through the into the lung and main
talned there by slight pressure at all times except
when 1t necessary to cleanse the wound, which
during the last five years has been done daily.
In routine Of official life at Bellevue twenty pnysi
clans have served their tmo and gone since Hill
has been an inmate He treated by every one OF
them aud each expected that he would die In few
days after looking at him for the first time He disap-
pointed them all. The clerk who wrote HPs name In
the hospital records is dead three physicians who at
tended him rest ~ the tomb Psny OF tsS narse' TnH M
outlived them all At least four times since ne was
admitted TO Bellevue he has been Thought TO pe dea
tho could not see hin Dreathe'
About month ago he took cold and was put into his
cot deposit IN his lung increased rapidly
that could be removed through the tube. and his
through his body. A state OF great exhaustion was set
up and nnaly the patient sank into comatose condi
with the death box TO carry Hills body the dead
house, the attendants waited for long time expecting
that he open his eyes and wink he had done 80
often before when apparently In the same condition
This time however death had done Its work efectuay
Nicola Ferdnanda an Italian age 81 was admittedlto
RsySe s wss aosI by his sd to
ady He began TO increase In size around the apdouen
mamie pTeportions He soon became troubled by
pains In the right side, and showed symptoms OF dis
ordered liver Being profound believer In the virtues
OF Quack medicines he began TO use liver restorers
and other forms OF empirical nostruns Instead OF AZ
ordng him relief they seemed to act as food lot the
disease aud he continued ncreasein size and diminish
In health Becoming finally In condition as TO De be-
yond the of his friends he was taken 10 Bellevue
Ills disease diagnosed as cancerous tnmor. ana
measures taken to stop Its growth Iney were
not successful aud the disease having extended 10 n
heart valves became affected and he dod from sur
location yesterday. .
An autopsy held and the liver was found TO have
displaced on account OF s sZe other organ In the
body II weighed fifteen pounds and was perfect mass
OF cancer cells Every vital organ was found 10 nave
been affected and tho cells FOUND every
WHERE indicating unusually rapid progress Of the dis
ease. due probably 10 tho irritating Influence ol the
quack medicine he had taken