The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-12
DYING OF HICCOUGHs.
A Most Unusual and Distressing
Case in Topeka.
HICCOUGHS LIKE A DOG BARKING.


ERect-The Man Can't Live Mueh
Longer
Death from hiccoughs is the inevitable
end that confronts George Morgan. a
young man 25 years old who applied for
a place to sleep at the police headquar-
ters last night.
The case is one that battles the best
medical skill in Topeka. as it has in other
cities where such cases have been re-
ported DIR. Hibben attended him last
night and DIR. McClintock is working on
the case, but Morgan continues to hic-
cough and toss about in agony. The doc
tors have tried every remedy at their dis
posal and as last resort gave him
hypodermic injection of morphine and
chloroformed napkin applied to his nose
as a means of Quieting him. Even these
desperate remedies were futile, for even
in his semi-consciousness the hiccOu0ha
were undated.
Morgan applied to the police for lodg-
ing last night when there were three or
four tramps before him waiting to be
registered. While waiting for his turu
he was taken with the hiccoughs and
was unable to say anything except "Bed-
welr' and "hospital." Morgan was made
a comfortable bed in the court room. and
as his hiccoughs became more severe
City Physician Hibben was summoned
The hiccoughs grew louder until the
noise was not unlike the barking of a
dog, and came with each respiration.
The strange atf1iction seemed to be wear
ing the poor victim completely out and
at times he seemed to be choked for
breath. He tossed his feat and arms
restlessly all night and in his writings
tore his shirt into shreds. All the time
the hiccoughs grew more and more Sc
we're until his condition became one
almost unbearable even to the hardened
and experienced police.
This morning Morgan was removed to
BedwelI asylum in North Topeka DR..
McClintock attended him. Morphine
was given him 20 ease his suffering
Superintendent BedweH says there is
no hope for Morgan's recovery. His
death, he says, is only matter CT time,
and a short time. Several times today
MIR. Bedwell has thought the man was
dying His eyes became fixed and his
pulse almost stopped; only the hiccoughs
were as strong as ever
A JOURNAL reporter who saw Morgan
twice last night, visited him today, and
found his condition plainly changed for
the worse. He was raving in delirum
when the reported called.
ssWhere is my horser" the poor man
asked between his hiccoughs: "gct my
horse Put a saddle on him. / have got
to be going"
He speaks with a very decided Ger
man accent.
The young man whose name is given
as Morgan. is believed to have rum
away from Germany to escape army ser
vice, as gathered from a conversation
had with Dir. Bedwell some days ago be-
fore he was taken i'll; although registered
as Morgan his name is probably MOerger
or something similar
The young man arrived in Topeka
March 81. He had been taken with tbs
hiccougns only two days before. He was
admitted to the north side hospital and
stayed there two weeks. He seemed 10
Improve aud an order was made for his
transfer to the county poor farm. Here
he was taken with the hiccOughs again
and as he could not be given medical al
tention there, he left. Mr Bedwell met
him on the street Tuesday. The young
man told him he was hunting for job.
He had not been troubled with the hic-
cough since the day before. The latter
admonished him to take good care OF
himself
Mr.. Bedwell has taken considerable
interest in the young German, and prob
ably knows more about his history than
anyone else He says Morgan came 70
Topeka from Texas, where he worked as
farm hand. He has been in America
over year.
he doctors agree that Morgan's hic-
coughs are due largely to ii mental con-
dition bordering on hysteria, caused by
anxiety and worry of his inability ever
to return TO his relatives and friends
This is combined with an abnormal con-
dition of the diaphragm.
His disease, which is technically known
as .sspasmodic singultus," is one very
rarely reported, and one regarding which
medical science knows but little SINH
lar cases in New York and elsewhere
have received notoriety over the whole
continent In one case a thousand rem
edies were sent from all parts of the
One of these, it is reported,
was tried successfully. 1t was nitrate of
amyl.
D. Holmes. druggist, 731 Kansas ave.