The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-16
How STARVATION KILLS.
A Doctor Describes the Horrors of Being
without Nourishment.

Without NOurishment.
DR.. William G. Ussery says that the first
objective symptom of starvation is a loss
of weight and flesh. This is produced by
the absorption and destruction of fat,
which is deposited throughout the body.
The length of time required to produce
great elnaciation and death will of course
depend upon the corpulency of the indi-
vidaal. In the average person after a few
DAYS or a week the cheeks become hollow,
the arms and legs soft and fabby, lines
and wrinkles appear and o general shrink
ing il manifest. Prominent among these
symptoms are the sunken eyeballs n
staring pupils. Behind every eye is a soft
protective cushion of fat, which is the last
to be absorbed. AS this disappears the
eyeballs r~etract, the pupils dilate, dark
shadows appear around them. the cheek
bones stand out prominently with their
covering of wrinkled skin, the lips retract
from the teeth, and the corners Of the
mouth droop, all Of which goes to make
MP o horrible, unmistakable picture of
death by slow starvation.
All this time similar changes are going
on in the internal organs. They, too, are
supplied with surplus fuel in the shape Of
fat. Hanging over the intestines is an
enormous apron Of pure fat. In fact, the
fntestines themselves are held in place by
moorings which are nothing more than
ribbons of fat. The kidneys are always
surrounded by more or less fatty tissue,
while the various other organs ave q
varying amount of the same material.
After this surplus has been burned the
destruction of the actual tissues and or
gans begins. From now on the process is
rapid, as the less of fuel there is the great
or becomes the demand for s~ustenance.
The last fat to disappear is that around
the base of the heart. This supply once
destroyed, the heart muscle rapidly degen-
crates, and death follows from exhaustion.
1t cannot be said that any particular func-
ton or organ is the direct cause of death.
If, in addition to the withdrawal OF
food, water is abstained from, the suffer
ings and rapidity of emaciation are great
ly intensified. The tissues are literally
parched or dried, and, like well seasoned
wood, burn all the more rapidly. The ac-
tual physical discomfort produced by
thirst is probably the greatest torment a
human being can undergo. When we con-
slider that about 10 per cent of the body
consists of water and that each individual
cell of the milliards which compose the
whole joins in the cry for moisture, the
intense mechanical drying effect upon the
eyes, tongue, nose and throat, the actual
pulverization of the internal membranes,
together with the demand for food, we
can begin to conceive the awful tornlen
which. follows.
There is no reason why a man should
starve voluntarily. Physical force can be
used to steady his head, when it is a sim
pie matter to introduce a tube through his
nose and into his stomach. Through this
tube condensed and nourishing food can
be conveyed. BY no muscular power or
voluntary effort can an individual prevent
this procedure once his head is held i'm
movable. This method of feeding is often
resorted to in cases of lockjaw or other dis
eases in which there is an inability to open
the mouth.
Mouth gags or openers and stomach
tubes are regular equipments of every asy-
lum for the insane. This method some
times fails because of a failure of the gag
to stay in position. In these cases it is
usual to introduce a tub through the
nose. The only drawback is that a small
er tube must be used, which, of course,
prolongs the operation.
1t is difficult to say at Just what point
in a case of starvation feeding may be COM
menced and life saved. Like that vague,
indefinite boundary between health and
disease, daylight and darkness, virtue and
vice, or any extremes, there are no well
marked Indications. We believe that most
physicians agree as to the methods Of pro-
cedurew henf feeding is resumed. 1t should
be in small quantities and at frequent in
terrals. a stomach-in fact, the entire
system-wben deprived of food at once
tries to adjust itself to do without it. Ma
ture Ices all things lavishly and grossly.
To repair an insignificant scratch she will
send a ~thousandfold moro material than is
utilized. So with any process. What she
amt get she tries to SO adapt the economy
as to do without. A sudden supply of food
to such a stomach would act as an irritant
and produce immediate nausea and yom-
iting.
Mime. Carnot, widow OF the murdered
Statesman. Is living in seclusion near Par
fe with Ycr chiIf~en a~f an7rhilre7.
Recently the brother OF her husbands
murderer wrote her. saying thai owing
AZ hts rcia ff-a%htrF 4 ~ ~ - q : q csfn = n 1,51