Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-25
SHOWING UP SHAMS,
Men Who Feign Sickness to
Get the Hospitals Care.
BOGUS EPILEPSY is CURED
After Discovery That the Shammer's
Froth Was Soap SudS.
AGALVANIC BATTERY Is APPLIED
And Brings to Life With Alacrity Man
Who Feigns Death.
BOGUS EPILEPSY is CURED
A GALVANIC BATTERY is APPLIED
SUPT. COwAN, OF WEST PENN, TALKS

People who are connected with public in
stitutions in positions of authority have
some queer experiences at times with per.
sons whose ideas of propriety are somewhat
hazy, or worse yet, who are out-and-cut
beats. Especially is this true of institu-
tions Of a wholly or partially charitable
nature, which the cranks and beats of all
kinds seem to consider their lawful prey.
In conversation with Superintendent Cowan,
of the West Penn Hospital, recently, these
experiences were mentioned, and that gen.
tleman told the reporter of some that had
come under his own observation.
''One particularly remember" said Mr..
Cowan, happened not so very long ago.
One afternoon we got call to go to the B.
& o. depot and get fireman. 1 supposed
there had been a wreck, and that she man,
being fireman, was probably badly hurt
So, the driver being away, DR.. Scott and
myself got into the ambulance and made q
rapid run. When we got to the depot we
searched all around for the wounded man,
and could find nothing of him. At last a
fellow who was walking up and down the
platform, accosted us and said:
"I guess am the person you are looking
5or.'
81 said Why, what, is the matter with
you?'
"T have lost my appetite was the un-
concerned, laconic reply.
HE WAS SPECIFIES.
s'I didn't say anything; couldn't have
said anything if had wanted to. We
loaded him up, though, and brought him
out. The only satisfaction got out of it
was the fact that it cost him $50 to recover
his appetite.
son another occasion we received call
and came clear down into the city, only to
find that our patient was a drunken woman.
"one night we got call from police
station in the East End, to come and get a
man there who was very sick. We went,
and brought him back to the hospital. The
doctors could find nothing particularly
wrong with him. He was put to bed, how
ever, the physicians having decided to make
a diagnosis of his case the next morning.
Morning came; the patient got up and ate
hearty breakfast, bade us Good morning
and walked out. That was the last we saw
of him.
1--WE have to be constantly on the alert to
avoid being yictimized by beats. We have
had SO much experience with them, though,
that if we get the least intimation that
everything is not just right, we can soon de-
tect and expose them. A case we had not
long ago will illustrate the point One day
q man from one of the iron mills came here,
groanlng and writhing as if in great agony.
He was put to bed, and we tried to find out
his trouble. To all our questions he would
reply with means and yells of intensest
agony. One of the staff physicians, who hap
pened to be present, suspected that
THE MAN WAS sHAMMING,
and determined to test the matter and called
for an electric battery. The current was
applied to different parts Of his body, and
his contortions were something wonderful.
Finally be feigned death, held his breath
for half minute and fell back upon the
bed. The current was applied again, and
Immediately restored him to the liveliest
kind of life. The doctor went away, giving
instructions that, if he got no better, he
should be given a shock every half hour.
He recovered Immediately and we let him
60 in short order.
fEOne of the most peculiar cases that has
ever come under my observation here was
that of man who counterfeited epilepsy.
He was found at one of the depots in ap-
parently the worst kind of an epileptie fit.
He was brought to the hospital and was
here for tour or five days. At about a
certain hour each day he would have one
of these fits Upon such occasions he |
would writhe and froth at the mouth, and |
was truly a terrible sight to behold. 1t |
looked like a genuine case. The way we |
got an inkling that he was shamming was |
by someone suddenly flashing a light in his |
face during the time he was in one of these |
fits. He shrank from the sudden glare-a |
thing which he would not have done had |
his epilepsy been genuine-and we imme-
diate1y suspected him of being not |
altogether right.
''To test the matter, the next day, about |
the time for his fit, we PIT him in room
with stupid-looking fellow, and instructed |
the latter TO watch him closely. The |
shamming fellow had his fit as usual, and |
the fellow we had set TO watch him in
formed us that he had slipped piece of |
soap in his mouth, and SO created the froth.
OUT CAME THE SOAP.
The next day, when he had his sit, one
of the physicians put his finger in the fel-
lows mouth and pulled out piece of soap.
Of course, we dismissed him at once; but
before he went, he told one of the attend
ants that he had been in hospitals in
nearly every large city in the country,
and his counterfeit of epilepsy had
never been detected before. His plan
was to 90 from one city to another, stealing
rides or getting along the best way he could,
and when he reached a favorable place, to
fall in a fit on the street. when, of course, he
would be sent to hospital, where he re-
manned, often several weeks at a time, until
be got tired, and left for some other point.
In this manner he had visited nearly every
city in the country, the greater part OF the
time without a cent in his pocket.
"There is another side to it all though,
where the better part of human nature crops
out and those who come here show genuine
appreciation of what is done for them. One
incident will suffice to illustrate what
mean. Three years, think it was, ago,
Fritz Emmet was brought here for treat
ment During his stay he became
greatly interested in the institution and
went away much pleased. He told some
one connected with the hospital that he
would give benefit for it. and, if the ben
eft realized 81, COO or more, the hospital
should have it all. and if not, he would
make up the difference and give the s., 900
to the institution, anyway. He did give the
benefit in Philadelphia shortly afterward,
and sent draft for the amount, 81, OH, to
the board for the benefit of the hospital. 1t
is a pleasure to get hold of a person like
that once in a while, not so much for the
sake of money as for the satisfaction of hsv-
ing your efforts appreciated.
Southside Gas Explosion.
while the copnecfionS of 4ba na,r -,- a. |