Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-27

English physician described tn
degree Of trouble and expense
they recognized.
Although these persons suf-
fering from what Is sometimes
termed Munchausens syn
drome have been reported fire.
uuently In England. DR.. John
s. Chapman Of the State UNI
yersity Of Iowa College Of
Medicine reported one Of the
first recognized American cases.
His report came in the cur
rent issue Of the Journal Of
the American Medical Asso-
citation.
The term Munchausen's syn
drome. of course. dates back to
1881 when the Englishman used
It In reference to these occa-
sional persons who upset hos
pital routines because their
wide travels and fanciful his
tories are reminiscent Of the
travels and adventures Of ne
tons Baron Munchatisen."
blood on Shirt
This one was q Se-year-old
merchant seaman and part
time professional wrestler who
upset the wards Of the state
University Of Iowa Hospital for
20 days.
II started when he burst into
the hospital with blood spat-
tered all over the front Of his
shirt the doctor recalled
He seemed to be coughing
up blood and claimed to be In
anguish from pain In the left
side Of his chest. He showed .
quantity Of apparently real
surgical scars on the abdomen.
He had ian uncanny kn0wl-
edge" Of the location Of his
veins.
His legs were red. hot and
swollen with distended veins
indicating q condition in which
the vessels are infAmed and q
blood clot developes.
He demanded treatment.
drugs and extensive diagnostic
studies. He became unco-
operative and disturbed. and
even ripped out surgical stitches
after an operation.
Many Hospitals
He was sent 70 q mental in
stitution and later escaped.
But, papers in his wallet indi-
Gated he had been in at least
is different hospitals in 10
years. following the same pat
tern and leaving unpaid bills
Of about $1,000 ct each Of six
or more institutions.
Studies were, unable to &C
count for his chest pain or
bleeding. DR.. Chapman feels
he Is now q professional hos
pital bum with . technique
that guarantees him admission /
to any hospital ct any time.
He seems to enjoy the conster-
nation and stereotyped response
evoked by his blood-spattered
appearances.
aHe prefers large hospitals |
and Is especially fond Of uni
'sefsity centers." the physician
added.
aHe expectorates blood In q
spectacular fashion and plays
upon the sympathies Of the
irterns and residents He
submits to all diagnostic pro-
cedures after much argument
and persuasion and demands
and gets attention. time and
drugs"
whether or not such patients
get pathological enjoyment
from the dramatic role" is q
question. Or. Chapman said.
Reasons Unknown
Perhaps some desire drugs or
4 hiding place from the police
or perhaps it's an elaborate
scheme for free lodging.
Most city hospitals. for ex-
ample, see addicts using various
schemes to talk physicians into
what amounts to q ak"
Just as some beaten and tired
alcoholics plead with the police
court Judge to send them TO
taif for rest, food and medical
care, some appear In the wait
ing rooms Of hospitals for simi-
lar reasons.
The seaman in question. how |
ever, was an extreme case Of
whatever mental disorder he
suffered from.
DR.. Champan said he feels
that his bleeding was faxed
and was produced by various
methods although the hospital
staff never learned how he
did it.
Publishing histories Of these
patients in medical journals
and alerting the medical pro-
fession seems TO be the only
way of coping with them. DR..
Chapman said. They are an
economic threat and a definite
nuisance to the hospitals they
visit.
AIumnue to Hear Tolk
Marvin Topping of George
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