The times., 1899-05-26
DYING FROM TEAIbR1NK1NG.
Patrick Pheian Near Death From His
Incessant Qaafilng.

Ihcessant Qaahng-
New York, May ti.4 Excessive tea
drinking is the cause 81 the pltiable con-
dition of Peter Phelan, who. as he lies in
Bellevue Hospital, resembles a wax man
ikin. Thirty cups of tea a day was the
least Phelan used at sthe time he was
Frustrated. Now the doctors are battling
to save him from death from anaemia.
They say he is one of the most interest
ing cases from medical point of view,
that ever came under their observation.
Phelan, who is forty years old, was an
assistant stage carpenter at the Broadway
Theatre until four weeks ago, when he
suffered nervous collapse. The tea drink
ing habit with him had been growing
steadily, until tea was his food as well as
his drink. His cravings for tea were as
fierce as any that ever beset an alcoholic
victim. AS often as he could slip away
from his work he was brewing and drink
ing the beverage. Quality made no differ
ence to him. All he demanded was that
the beverage be strong.
He did not know the seriousness of his
illness when he found himself unable TO
leave his bed one day. He tried to doc
tor himself and drank more tea-food he
could not digest.
His mother, who lives at 455 West Six
teenth street heard he was ill., and had
visited him were puzzled. They were at
loss for diagnosis. On their advice he
was taken to Bellevue Hospital on May IL
Here 1t was discovered that Phelan had
beer tea drunkard.
DR.. Egbert lie Fevre. visiting physician.
and DR.. Herman Ritter, house physician
of the Third division, had treated a tea
drunkard few months before This pa
tient had been young woman, but she had
not been in pearly so serious a condition
as is Phelan. His face and body were SAT-
from hued and his lips, gums and eyelids
white He was scarcely able to move, and
when he did his respiration was like that
of one who had run up a steep hill The
lifting of his hand made his breath come
fast
1t was several days before he was able
to give any Of his history. The physicians
have not yet been able to learn all they
wish concerning him. He is such IN in
teresting case that they have been anxious
TO ascertain everything possible regarding
his life. They did learn that he was born
IN New York and had always lived here
AS child he was fond OF tea, and had
been allowed to drink as much of it rs he
liked. He grew to like it more and more
He drank 1t without milk or sugar. When
he was young man he was accustomed to
drink six or eight cups day, He finally
required twelve cups of strong tea a day
to enable him to work. So the habit grew
until at the ago of forty years thirty cups
day was his minimum.
One of the most serious effects of excess
sive tea drinking has been the great re-
duction of the red blood corpuscles. An
examination by the physicians at the hos
pital showed only $4,000 red blood cells
and Il per cent haemaglobine per cubic
millimetre of his blood. The normal blood
shows 5000 900 red blood dells and nearly
100 per cent haemaglobine per cubic milli-
metre.
Haemaglobine, which. is the coloring
matter of the blood, contains. intimately
united with organic matter. certain pro-
portion of iron. The quantity of iron is
small. but very important. Simple anemia
is almost always relieved IN a short tine
by the administration of iron.
In the case of Phelap very delicate treat
ment is required, as, he, is so close to
deaths door He is being given small
quantities of nutritivet food and iron.
Dr. Ritter said yesterday that he thought
Phelan's condition was slightly improved,
although he was hoyering between life
and death. 1t would require the most
careful treatment to bring him through.
Phelan sleeps much Of the time, but it is
not difficult to awaken him. At times he
talks naturally and other times he wan
ders. He does not realize how dangerous
his condition is. He told Dr. Ritter yes
terday that he wanted 10 go back to work
next week. He said he was receiving very
good treatment, except that he could get
no tea and he had TO lie in bed.
The young woman tea drunkard that DR..
Ritter and DR.. LIE Fevre treated several
months ago has been caretaker of
country house. She had used tea in Ire
land, but did not become a slave to the
habit until she had gone to the country
house. Here she was very lonesome, and
she said she drank tea ito cheer her up
Her case was not nearly SO serious as that
of Phelan
DR.. Ritter said that tea drinking in mod
eration, If the tea be properly made, is alb
solutely harmless, and that tea drunkards
were comparatively few In this country.