The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-08
PURDY's STRANGE Case.
Though Reduced to Skeleton He Is
Still Possessed of Life.
HE BATTLES MEDICAL SKILL
II Cannot Assign Reason for tho Te.
nacious Way In Which lie Clings to
Life Although He Would Prefer
TO Dc Dead.

pening within the range OF medical
science, the case of Abram Purdy, OF
1910 Quincy avenue, in Petersburg, Is
one of the most startling. Six months
ago he was tall, powerful man,
brawny and sinewy, weighing 2lo
pounds; since then he has wasted away
by degrees, and today he Is gauht
skeleton of less than fifty pounds, and
he hangs to life by frail thread.
DR.. Arthur II. Bernstein, OF Ash
street. has kept the breath OF life In
Purdy for the past three months, but
the patient has arrived at that stage,
where 1t is a question of but how many
hours longer before the reaper appears
with his sickle and snaps away the sus-
pensory thread that holds the SICK
man in the land of the living.
An onlooker is terrified at the sight
of the bony form; cuddled on bare cot,
all animation apparently gone. A
Tribune reporter, In company with Or.
Bernstein, visited the house yesterday
afternoon. Purdy Is at the home OF his
son-in-law. Martin Hedglin.
Would lie Kill Himself II lie Could.
Purdy is insensible to all pain, but
he retains his senses Of hearing. speak
ing and seeing. When he recognized
DIR. Bernstein, he asked for laudanum
with which to end his life. For sew
eral weeks he has taken no food except
a tablespoonful of milk at rare inter-
walls, which he drinks through tube.
He was born on July IS, 1881, In Fish
kill, Dutchess county, N. Y, and grew
up to be a giant in strength, reaching
the height of six feet His frame was
correspondingly developed. The early
DAYS of his hfe were spent in the forest
as a sawyer, and when the war broke
out he enlisted in April, 1861, in Com
pany,K, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves,
and served until the close of the rebel
lion. He fought at Bull Run, Antietem,
and Gettysburg. and the last fierce en-
gagement where he fought for the
Union was at Cold Harbor. His regi-
ment after that remained passive un-
til the end, when he retired to private
life with an honorable discharge and
badges Of distinction.
Settling first in Susquehanna county
after laying down the musket and the
sabre, he resumed the rough life OF
wood cutter and later drifted to this
county. All through the long marches
and sleepless nights of the war he bore
with remarkable endurance and he was
not known to complain of even trivial
ache While he toiled in the woods he
suffered no sickness, until last sum-
mer. Then he became attacked with
spasmodic pains in the abdominal re-
gion.
The Doctors Were Bnfflcd.
Last August his health failed and yet
he did not lose any muscle. he
seemed to think, although he was of a
round old age, that trip to
Florida and some Of the water
ing places might restore his vigor and
fit him to battle with life for several
years to come. On his trip he consult
ed many physicians and attended sew
eral hospitals, but no encouragement
greeted him.
His purse got light and he was
forced to come home, returning on Dec.
II, last year. DR.. Bernsteins office Is but
a block from Purdy's home; and one
day he was casually attracted to the
case. The old man related all his
experiences with doctors and his jour-
ney after health. A diagnosis Of his
case was made and DR.. Bernstein took
charge. He found that Purdy was af-
fected with concer Of the ascending
colon of the intestines, and saw that
the sufferers life would be short.
Within three weeks Purdy fell from
21O pounds to IT'S, and the decline con-
tinued until month ago, when he re-
duced to 40 pounds. His superhuman
vitality kept him at that mark until
a week ago, but since, day after day, he
has been losing, so that now there Is
no tissue left except the skin and the
emaciated heart. The lungs, stomach,
liver, kidneys, and intestines are dessi-
Gated, and how he lives and can see.
hear and talk is one of the strange
mysteries of the case.
Would Prefer Death.
DR.. Bernstein has kept him alive, but
the sufferer would prefer death. He
has no money and no friends and wants
to die. His wife died on Aug. IA, 1888.
He has applied for a pension, but his
pilgrimage Is about completed. DR..
Bernstein says that he cannot survive
three days. although he has been in a
living death for three weeks.
No coffin lid lifted could expose a
ghastlier sight than the cold, clammy
bones that protrude through the skin
Of Purdy's earthly tenement.
william ID. Moore, an old veteran
from the Soldiers Home, at Hampton
Roads, Va, Is nursing Mr.. Purdy.
The "Bonaparte' belt for sale by Turn
quest, 2O5 Washington avenue.
Y. p. S. C. L. and Epworth League.