Rushden has provided another nine-day wonder for the general public and the medical world in a remarkable case of resistance to malignant disease. Apart from the relatives, few who witnessed the funeral at Rushden Cemetery on Tuesday of Mrs Eliza Shrive, of 45 Allen-road, Rushden, realised what a remarkable record was attached to the deceased lady, who was 55 years of age.

A representative of The Rushden Echo was assured by Mr Shrive (the bereaved husband) and other relatives that Mrs Shrive twice previously had been laid out for dead and on other occasions had been given only a very short time to live. In addition, the late Mrs Shrive underwent over 30 operations under chloroform, 29 of which were for lupus.

The life of the deceased woman was practically one long history of fight against disease and the suffering entailed by it. But Mrs Shrive was not by any means a frail woman in the accepted sense. Her heart, as several doctors certified, was wonderfully strong, and normally her general constitution would have been quite robust. It was these things, in fact, which enabled her to resist two such insidious ailments as lupus and cancer for so long.

Before she married Mr Shrive 17 years ago, the deceased was a dressmaker and had already been in and out of hospitals many times. It was before her marriage that she was twice falsely certified as dead. Mr Shrive lived at Irthlingborough when she became his housekeeper—she had given up dressmaking on medical advice—and they removed to Rushden 15 years ago. For twelve years after her marriage deceased enjoyed the best health of her lifetime. She had apparently got rid of the lupus, owing, the relatives state, to the persistent efforts of a medical herbalist, after she had been

Discharged From the Hospitals

as incurable. But in the last few years the dread cancer set in. The first time the deceased lady was certified dead was in Bristol Hospital about 35 years ago—she was born in the West Country—and after the doctor had left she was being borne to the mortuary when the bearers stumbled and she was seen to move a little and breathe. Apparently the jolt had brought her back to a semi-consciousness, and the attendants brought her back to full consciousness—there was no doctor available at the moment—by the vigorous use of wet towels. When the surgeon returned he was astounded to see his “dead” patient alive again. It was believed that but for the accident of the bearers stumbling the lady might have been buried alive.

The second occasion was nearly two years later at her home in Bristol. She had been laid out after the doctor had gone, and in an hour or so she wok up to hear her relatives agreeing that her “death” was a merciful release.

When discharged form St Thomas’s Hospital, London, Mrs Shrive was declared incurable (of advanced lupus) and given only a short time to live. Mrs Shrive then entered a private hospital at Dalston run by a German doctor, who used to specialise in cases rejected by the hospital surgeons. This doctor had to return to Germany and wished to take Mrs Shrive with him to complete the treatment, but her parents were unwilling. Soon afterwards she was under treatment by a medical herbalist, and her relatives declare that she got rid of the lupus in five years.

When Mrs Shrive was certified dead—for the third time—last Saturday, the relatives, in accordance with her previously expressed wish, requested the doctor to but a main vein to make quite certain that she would not be buried alive. The doctor made a thorough examination and declared that there was no doubt in this instance that Mrs Shrive had expired, but he cut two arteries to set at rest the minds of the relatives.

Among the many operations Mrs Shrive endured were two successive “major” operations, in 1924 and 1925, for cancer, and on one occasion many years ago she had new skin grafted on to her nose, which had been disfigured by lupus.

All the relatives and friends of Mrs Shrive testify to the facto that she bore her pain and illness without complaint and with great courage. Her mind was active, she was of a cheerful disposition, and she was always sympathetic about other people’s problems. “She was a faithful helper, as far as lay in her power,” said Mr Shrive to our reporter, “and she was never a poor companion.” Besides the husband, there are several stepchildren left to mourn their loss.

The Funeral

The funeral took place on Tuesday, the Rev C J Keeler officiating in the unavoidable absence (through indisposition) of the Rev J A Sutherland. A service originally arranged at the Baptist Church had to be abandoned, the committal service at the cemetery being the only ceremony. The mourners were Mr Shrive (husband), Mr Stanley Shrive and Mr Raymond Shrive (stepsons), Mr Arthur Friend (brother), Mrs R Hurst (sister), Mrs Friend (sister-in-law), Mr and Mrs Shrive (brother-in-law and sister-in-law), Mr J Brice (son-in-law), and Mrs Carr (friend). Two stepdaughters, Miss Polly Shrive and Miss Eva Shrive, were unable to attend owing to indisposition.