The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-24
MARVEL'S MARVELLOUS FAST
CONTINUES FOR THIRTY-FVE DAYS.
Three Quarts Of MIX sustains Life in IN
Octogenarian For More Than a Month
"A Case scarcely ParaIleIed in
Medical History.

has gone thlrty-nVe Gays without moreel OF
food, and is still alive Although terribly ema.
ciated, he does not appear a great deal worse
than he did week ago, and there is no esti-
mating how long his remarkable existence may
be prolonged.
THE SENTINEL of few days ago contained
statement Of the case, as was obtained from
DIR. George Hasty aud neighbor of the afflicted
man. In order to verify the almost incredible
statements thus published, SENTINEL reporter
Thursday visited the house. II is seven miles
northwest of the city, and about mile and q
half from the lafayette pike. Marvel is living
with his daughter Mrs. John Jones, whose
husband was prosperous farmer. The house
Is story-and-a-half structure, neatly painted
and comfortably furnished for a country house.
The reporter readily observed that the men,
bers of the family were good, upright people,
of more than average intelligence, whose state
ments could be entirely relied upon Mrs.
Jones is herself more than sixty years of age,
and has married son living with her. All the
members OF the household show more or less
exhaustion from the constant strain upon their
attention during the past five weeks. Ever
since the aged father and grandfather was
stricken down some one has been constantly
at his side. Everything that human device
could do for him has been done, and the anxiety
with which bis children and grandchildren
watch his slowly ebbing life is very affecting
feature of the case.
He lies upon bed in the sitting-room.
There is little in his appearance that would
suggest the terrible ordeal through which he
has gone. Except when some one is moving
him he lies very quietly, breathing regularly,
and looking otherwise natural. The fact that
his face is we'll covered with beard prevents
person from judging OF his color, and, more
over, at his age healthy complexion would
not be expected About his mouth, however,
there were positive evidences of some serious
disorder, his lips being blue and from between
them coming occasionally slight repu!sive ennis
sions. DR.. Hasty, who had accompanied the
reporter, explained that this emission was
probably caused by decay of the gums about
the teeth.
The afflicted man is utterly speeches.. From
the morning five weeks ago yesterday, when
he left the house 10 60 out In the garden and
work, not one Ineligible word has been
uttered by him. During the last few days, how
ever he has on two or three occasions appeared
TO try TO speak He Is very sensitive TO touch,
and once, while the reporter was at the house,
when the attendants were turning him from one
side 10 the other he manifestly tried TO utter
some remons.rance. but there was nothing in
the least ineligible about t. His tongue is
evidently parayzej. There is question also
as 10 whether he can hear. The members OF
the family. as we'll as Dr. Hasty, hold TO the
theory that he hears no sound; yet when tho
! doctor spoke to him in very loud tone OF
/ he heard IT, although he made no response.
The family has abandoned oil effort 10 com.
municate any intelligence 10 him. The first
/ few days after his affection came on they
attempted to force him 10 take food,
| but the violent manner in which he resisted
any one who attempted 10 touch him induced
I them to stop that and TO humoT him in every
! way. Since he has begun taking water and bis
little pittance of milk It has been done by plac
ing fluids where he could get il, and not at
"a. ffn.a. 40 n.
| three occasions he has taken the cup
| from their hands, but az rule
/ he will not do that, but instead
/ pushes il away from him whenever pronered.
/ Every kind of device has been tried TO get him
/ TO eat something but without success. Cher.
ries with the seeds removed we're placed be-
I tween his lips, but were not swallowed. Potato
/ soup was made and placed by his bed in
/ bowl similar TO that in which he had been &C.
/ customed 10 get his water or milk, but when
I the humor came upon him % drink something.
/ he detected the difference and would not
touch it, These are only instances of the many
/ ways in which the attempt has been made TO
/ get him to eat Apparently either the muscles
/ OF bis mouth are paralyzed or the brain is so
affected that he does not know the desires of
/ his body.
| What lends 10 the case much OF It's wonder is
] the extreme age Of the man. DR.. Tame is
/ said TO have tasted for forty days even without
milk, but he was then in the prime Of life, and
II n
/ thorough knowledge OF the human system. Mr.
/ Marvel will be eighty-hve years of age on the
| 9TH OF next October DE was born in Sussex
! county, Maryland, his parents both heing Of
1 English descent His father died when he was
| one year old, but his mother lived to be quite
/ old, aud finally died OF paralysis, TACT
| that may bear an important relation to
/ the present case. At the age OF nine young
/ Marvel went 20 sea, remaining there about
/ seven years. In 1897 or '2S he removed with
l. -. -. -. 4 = 30 1
I diana, settling in Centerville, Wayne county
! Eighteen months later he moved TO Brown
/ township, Hendricks county where he entered
/ a homestead aud settled down TO live. He be-
\ came the rather OF ten children and lived in
I Hendricks county until the death OF his wife
/ seven years ago. when he came TO live with his
daughter, Mrs Jones. He has bee n a compare
/ lively healthy man. Mrs. Jones says that she
remembers of her father having head plen-
I risy' (menineitisl when she was child; and
\ he has also had brain and lung fever. Other
/ wise his health was good, with the exception Of
I little recent complaint about weakness OF the
/ heart Two nights before he was taken down
\ he woke the family at o'clock IN the morning
| with the complaint that his heart was
/ troubling him. Mrs. Jones administered
some relief and the old man went
/ out upon the porch, where he sat till daylight
/ On Friday, the 18th Of June, he started with
his hoe to the garden about a. IN. An hour
\ and a halt later some OF the family heard him
2
to open IL. He appeared 10 be totally blind
aud his right hand was hanging helpless
/ while his left hand he dragged. The
members OF the household could not divine
/ his afilietion. but succeeded ia getting him
/ 70 bed. He was speechless, and at that time
ms entire right side was parayzed. Neverthe-
I less, he was extremely irritable, and with his
LETT arm fought anyone who approached him.
! Toward night he began 10 grow violent. and re-
/ quired the attention of three men until far into
/ the night. This Madness however wore away
although he still remained irritant toward any
/ one who approached him. After the third
day the general paralysis of his right
/ side seemed TO be disappearing
and by the sixth day he was able TO get up
aud walk bat repulsed any one who tried to
assist him. He did this frequently, having
/ regular route around the house Within the
/ last two weeks, however, he has become too
+ weak 10 get up on his feet, yet yesterday morn
/ ing he amazed the members of tho family by
4 getting or of bed and walking ms lar as the
| porch. II vas early in the morning and about
| his usual rising time.
From the 18th OF June TO the Goth not a
thing was taken into Marvel's system. All
| Efforts TO induce him TO take food or even water
| were failures, and how he remained alive was
4 becoming the wonder of the neghborhood. On
the goth, when he was taking his regular round
/ about the house, he esped a wash-basin upon A
/ barrel with some water In H. and he
eagerly drank the contents. The family
observed the act, and the next day they had a
| cup of water there for him. He drank H. and
| kept up the procedure alomst daily. until
/ finally he would sometimes drink the winter
when II was placed near his bed II seemed,