In the US, an accident caused Charles Osborne to develop an incurable condition called hiccups, which he suffered from for nearly seven decades, from 1922 to 1990.
Charles Osborne was born in 1893 in Iowa, in the American Midwest. His early life as a farmer was relatively peaceful until 1922, when he was having hiccups while butchering pigs in Union, Nebraska. "I was hanging a 160-kilogram pig up to prepare for slaughter when I fell, but I didn't feel anything," Osborne recounted.
The incident caused Osborne to hiccup in bursts. But unlike typical hiccups that disappear after a few minutes, Osborne hiccuped incessantly.
Charles Osborne, the man who suffered from constant hiccups from 1922 to 1990. Photo: Twitter/Seriously Strange
Osborne consulted countless doctors, but none could cure his mysterious condition. Years passed, and Osborne sometimes wondered if he would have to endure the hiccups forever.
Today, doctors point to several causes of hiccups. According to the non-governmental medical academic center Mayo Clinic, carbonated drinks or an overly large meal can cause them. Swallowing air while chewing gum can easily lead to hiccups, and even excitement can trigger them.
However, none of the above explanations apply to Osborne's case. His inexplicable illness has baffled generations of doctors.
In the 1980s, Dr. Terence Anthoney determined that Osborne's fall had caused brain damage, resulting in his persistent hiccups. "The doctor said I had a blood vessel in my brain that was the size of a pin," Osborne recounted.
Anthoney explained that the fall most likely "destroyed a small area in the brainstem that plays a role in inhibiting the hiccup response."
However, doctors today have a different explanation. Neurosurgeon Ali Seifi believes the fall may have caused rib trauma that damaged Osborne's diaphragm. Seifi also speculates that Osborne may have suffered a stroke. Some strokes can cause persistent hiccups.
Osborne tried dozens of treatments but refused to undergo surgery that risked impairing his breathing. No medical intervention worked, including experimental hormone therapy. Home remedies for hiccups also failed. A friend even tried shooting Osborne in the back to startle him and stop his hiccups, but that also failed. "It scared me, but it wasn't enough to scare my hiccups," he said.
Only one doctor could treat Osborne, but this was only a temporary solution. The hiccups stopped when Osborne inhaled large amounts of carbon monoxide (CO). This treatment may have been effective, but the price was too high. Osborne could not have lived a healthy life if he continued to inhale the toxic gas.
After decades, Osborne gave up searching for medical treatment. He had traveled extensively, even to remote Alaska, seeking medical help, but always received disappointing results. Ultimately, he chose to live with the hiccups.
After his story appeared in newspapers and on television, Osborne received thousands of letters of support. Sympathetic strangers advised him to massage his fingers or press on his chin. To each suggestion, Osborne replied succinctly: "I've tried it."
Doctors explained that the sound of hiccups doesn't come from the diaphragm. Instead, it originates from the vocal cords, which close between hiccups. Osborne trained himself to avoid making any sound when hiccuping.
Charles Osborne as a young man. Photo: ATI
"He would puff out his chest three or four times a minute," Kevern Koskovich, an acquaintance of Osborne, recalled. "If you looked, you could tell he was hiccuping, but there was no sound. He swallowed it back down, that's the most accurate description."
Despite his circumstances, Osborne married twice, had eight children, and even worked as an auctioneer.
Persistent hiccups can lead to weight loss, exhaustion, or mental health problems. Osborne experienced all of these. In his old age, he was unable to swallow food. For many years, Osborne had to grind his food into a paste.
He tried to avoid losing weight by eating his favorite meals of ground chicken breast, sauce, porridge, and milk, accompanied by a few beers. Having lived almost his entire life with hiccups, Osborne once said he "would give away everything if he could get rid of them."
Despite the annoying hiccups, they turned Osborne into a celebrity, landing him on a host of radio and television shows.
From the ages of 29 to 96, Osborne hiccuped approximately 430 million times. In June 1990, the hiccups suddenly stopped. About a year later, Osborne passed away. In his final months, he was free from the torment of hiccups.
Vu Hoang (According to ATI )
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