The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-06
HASN'T EATEN IN TEN YEARS.
Remarkable Case of Police Commits
sIoner Murphy.

From the New York Journal.
Police Commissioner Murphy is a physi-
cal wonder, in that for the last ten years
he has not tasted food. He smokes with
his friends, talks with his friends, and
is a pleasant companion generally, but
when meal-time comes he is compelled to
retire to a private room and pump spe-
cialty prepared food into his stomach
through silver tube inserted below his
oesophagus.
Col Murphys case has attracted the at
tention and excited the wonder of the
medical world. In 1893, in the midst of
an exciting political campaign, he was at
tackled with acute indigestion which
caused a structure of the oesophagus. He
was unable to swallow anything To
prolong his life eminent physicians decid-
ed upon what they informed him might
be fatal experiment.
They decided to cut into his throat and
afterward remove his stomach 1t was
first decided that his stomach should
have a rest, and for fifty-nine days he
was fed unnaturally.
Refused nm Anaesthetic.
In describing this operation Col. Muir
ply has told how the physicians would
gather about his cot each morning ex-
pectng to see him die. He refused to
take an anaesthetic. even when the opera
ton became one of the most painful un-
der the knife, and chatted with his doc
tors while it was going on.
Col. Murphy has told how he was fore
ed morning after morning to swallow a
yard OF flexible rubber tubing until 1t
reached his stomach. Through this tub
ing the doctors would pour a solution
intended to cleanse the stomach and heal
the liberated parts. The medicine was
highly poisonous and had the tube failed
to reach the proper place, or had 1t been
displaced, the patient would have been
dead in few minutes.
During this operation one of the doctor S
always held watch, for it was danger
Gus to leave the solution too long, for
fear it might be absorbed by the system.
When the solution had been there the
proper length of time it was pumped out
Al the end of sixty days the stomach
was pronounced healed. but meantime the
Colonel almost died from starvation.
He had been man physically sound
weighing 24o pounds. After the opera
ton he was reduced TO eighty-six
pounds Col. Murphy weighs to-day
about ninety pounds.
After a consultation of the most famous
doctors of the country 1t was decided
that the only thing that could keep Col
Murphy from starving to death was 20
cut into the abdomen and insert a sill
yer tube. He was told that there was
little chance for him to survive.
Go ahead he said i've faced death
before, and I'll do it again. If 1 die I'll
forgive you"
The wound from the incision healed
within a few weeks and the operation
was successful. Since that time no food
has passed his palate.
In spite of his physical disability, the
new commissioner has attended to politi-
cal duties with a carefulness which has
won the admiration of all his fellow lead
ers in Tammany. He has set the pace,
in fact, for his associates in the Demo-
cratic organization.
Great Courage, Strong Will Always.
All his life the new head of the police
department has displayed extraordinary
physical courage and indomitable will.
He was born on March z, 1S41. in Kalia-
lock, County Limerick, Ireland and was
brought to New York when 9 years old
His parents lived in the downtown sec
ton, in which for nearly thirty years Col.
Murphy has been the strongest political
factor. For several years he went to the
public schools, but most Of his education
was received in a printers office. He
served at ''the case" for five years.
The knowledge he thus secured was the
only substantial kind he received to su -
plement his brief stay in public school.
He was serving as a compositor when
the war was declared between the states
and Immediately enlisted. He was only
20 years old, but was made a captain OF
EIlsworth's Zouaves. He made a record
that won the plaudits of his superiors, and
later on was offered an Office in Corcor-
ans Irish Legion