The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-18
A VICTIMS sUFFERlNGs.

Progress of the Disease Described by q Ply
stefan Who Watched q Man Die.
HAMBURG. Sept. 17.-An American doc
tor in this city thus describes the sufferings
Of a ty pical cholera patient:
81 saw a man, aged twenry-eight, with
yellow hair and blue eyes, on q sofa. his
face buried in "A pillow. %groaning with pains
in the abdomen. He was attacked an hour
and q half previously with violent purging
and vomiting, accompanied by sharp
cramps in the calves of both legs. During
The previous twenty-four hours ne bad had
diarrhea without any accompanying pain.
lie vomited profuseiy a few minutes after
my arrival. The fluid thrown mp
clear water. with a sediment like bran.
After vomiting the pains IN the abdomen
Increased. the poor fellow threw hrs read
back and Groaned. Suddenly from his pal
lid ips issued the so-csIled choleralc shrek
that may strike terror TO the unfamiliar
listener. After u period OF repose the cries
we're repeated.
"The pulse was feeble and the palIid face
bore an ANXIOUS expression painful to con-
template; he gaZed on me with pathetic,
yearning eyes. Tho skin felt cold; even the
breath was chilly. The voice sank into q
husky whisper. His thirst was intense.
aud he begged %piteouslv for water. He
drank the contents of n quart bottle of
kaiser water and speedily threw it of. Tho
m of the patient WAS naturally deli
cate, and the disease took q strong hold.
"At2o'clock the IN fferer's voice W as raised
81 ms to utter n Org. Subsequently there
was no sound lou0cr than the strldent
whisper characteristic OF the disease. In
feeble tones he frequently asked for water.
end then would Implore che doctor TO save
HIM from his agony. The amount OF whit
,sn fluid elected from the stomach and
bowels seemed p~rodigious. The kidneys
c-ascd to act an hour after commencement
OF the attack. The condition known as
collapse set IN thoroughly at 30 o'clock.
The skin of the chest and legs became of II
erayish blue bue. which was subsequently,
Intensified. The hands appeared shrlv-
elsd as if they had been soaked q long
tsme in water. So far as the doctors serv-
tces were concerned they were of no ap.
parent avail.
The ~favorfse position of the sick man
" as 10 lie on his side or on his back. with
his knees drawn up as CLOSELY as possible
DO his chin. The collapse progressed rapid
IL, and ut 5 o'clock the vomiting was
limited to n small amout of dark fluid.
The watery contents of his blood had
poured out through the coats of his DO
end veins throughout the body, which was
nearly empty at this time.
.sProfuse perspiration bathed the akin of
Tire patient; the perspiration clammy and
tenacious Large dark circles surrounded
the eyes. which were sunken deeplv into
their large hollow sockets. The nostrils
were disfeDded. the lips partially open.
disclosing white teeth in u CHASTITY grin.
The red flush on the cheekbones that was
frequent among The ~Eppendorff patients
vas scarcely recognizable at any time. Ate
o'clock the man WAS completely Frustrated.
During the next few hours the vomiting
end purginG ceased. and there were signs
OF delirium and muttered requests for q
drink. The horrible appearance of the
mans counteuance Increased. His grin
was deafnly. No pupil OF the eyes. only
the whites. were To be seen. watched for
q change of symptoms. but none appeared,
except that he seemed TO grow weaker and
weaker. He moved q little at times, but
his prostrafion Increased. and at 4 O'clock
lie Was entirely oblivious 10 earthly suffer-
ing. His breathing became slower and
slower; his bauds. his feet and the ~sarface
of his body were icy cold. Breathing was
apparent IN . labored effort OF the chest
only five times in one minute.
A 1870. after . feeble respiratory effort
Of the chest. the sufferer remained still
forever. The case was of exactly twenty
three hours duration. and a more ty pical
instance Of the As.atic plague has not been
seen IN Hamburg dnring the epidenic.u