The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-08
saARTAIN's QUEER AILMENT.
st. Louis Mans stomach Is Four
Times the Normal Size.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
st. Louis. Mo-, March 2-There is man
in st. Louis whose stomach has grown to
four times the normal size and continues
to enlarge. 1t is now about the same d-
mansions as the stomach of a horse. has
filed every inch Of available space and
has begun to crowd the other internal or
gans to such an extent that unless it's phe-
nomenal growth can be stopped it viii
soon cause the death of the victim.
William Martin, living at 91S Locust
street, is the sorely afflicted individual.
He is "a years old. The abnormal devel-
opments of his stomach began about four
years ago. when the victim was only 20,
but has been most pronounced within the
past year. Up to this time he has not ex-
perienced any painful or dangerous symp-
toms resulting from the development of
the strange phenomenon within him, but
an attack of la grippe, which came on
about a week ago, and seems to be the re-
turn of similar attack of last year, has
rendered him unfit for the performance of
any manual labor, and has been accompa-
MED by a distressing sensation about the
stomach. iiaA
A medical examination to which Martin
subjected himself several weeks ago show
ed that it is a case Of extreme dilation The
stomach has diiated until 1t now extends
clear down to the pubic bones, filling the
entire anterior portion of the intestinal
cavity and is gradually spreading out until
1t win finally overlap or depress the other
internal organs. When it has reached this
state it will be necessary to perform an
operation upon the patient in order TO save
his life, although there is no immediate
danger of fatal results.
So large has the organ become that 1t
Is impossible for it to properly digest food
taken into it, and the food lies there as
in q great reserN Dir undigested for hours
until it frequently ferments This pro-
duces an uncomfortable sensation, belch-
ing, gases on the stomach, giddiness, and
at time reflex disturbances-that IS, all
ments brought on through affections of the
nerve centers. Food is rarely II ever prop
erlY digested, yet the patient has at all
times a ravenous appetite, and is ready
under any and all circumstances to sit
down and eat a hearty meal.
There has scarcely been a day during the
last two years that Martin has not been
distressed by hearing water and food taken
into his stomach splash and rattle when
he moves about, producing a weird sound
like the gurgle and splash OF wines In a
goatskin flask. This is always accom-
panied by depressing sensation. and a
sense of something bearing down in the
intestinal cavity.
So aggravated does this condition be-
come at times that it IL necessary to have
the stomach washed out before relief IS
felt. The washing process consists sim
ply of inserting pump into the abyssmal
cavity that answers the afflicted man for
a stomach and flooding IL with water.
Sometimes a dozen gallons suffices. but
there have been times when not less than
a barrel of water has been poured through
the troubled organ before relief has come.
During these holdings the patient has
been known TO drink a water bucket full
Of water, and when Il Is over and every
thing has been removed from the stomach
he feels easy and Is, 80 far as all outward
appearance go, as sound as any man.
Martins father has been IN almost daily
conference with DR.. Otto Suffer superin-
tendent OF the city hospital for several
weeks past seeking 20 ind some means OF
relief for his son. II has been decided that
as soon as the young man RECEIVERS from
his present Illness he viii be taken 70 the
hospital ana operated upon DR.. Suffer Is
of opinion that Il viii be possible to re-
move at least three-fourths Of the over
grown stomach and restore II 20 rs nor
NAL condition. The operation he believes.
can be performed without danger TO the
patient, and the boys father Is now try
ing to got him TO consent.
Martin discussed his case with perfect
freedom. but almost constant annoyance
and distress caused by the abnormal en-
larcement Of his stomach. has made him
hypochondriac. His fears OF fatal results
are greatly exaggerated and Il H. doubtful
whether he can be Induced 20 submit to
an operation ~
time drink bucket Of water, and even