Italian Recluse pulled from apt. after 26 years

[Nicodema]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/italy_recluse_dc

[:"gray"]Mon Sep 11, 9:33 AM ET[/]

MILAN (Reuters) - When Italian health officials came to remove a woman from the apartment she has not left in more than two decades they had to don respirators against the stench, newspapers reported Sunday.

The woman, named only as "Carmela," was in her late 50s, weighed about 30 kg (66 pounds) and had hair two metres (seven feet) long when officials came to take her to hospital, La Repubblica, Il Giorno and La Stampa newspapers reported.

Firefighters and health officials in Macerata, a city about 200 km (120 miles) northeast of Rome, found the apartment's windows sealed with adhesive tape and the shutters jammed shut.

A bout of influenza 26 years ago terrified Carmela so much that she tried to seal herself off from germs by barricading herself in her home, the papers said.

Her plight came to the attention of Italian authorities after her brother, who leaves tinned food outside her front door, called police to say that upcoming medical treatment would prevent him from carrying on.

"Adamo" has not seen his sister in 10 years, La Republicca reported.

Carmela's main contact with neighbors has been to shout a single message through her door.

"Shut the window on the landing!"

[Nicodema]

Outrageous, isn't it? You would think her brother would have had the sense to get her some help after the first year or so ....?

[Gerr]

How sad. 26 yrs of living death. Sad that the brother didn't do anything sooner.

Gerry

[Barbara]

He did the best he could. And as long as he could he took her food. At least the brother let someone know he wouldn''t be able to take her food and now he wont have to worry when he gets the medical treatmentThe mess she lived in was her problem and the way she choose to cope. my aunt use to be this way and until my grandma died she didn't need to take care of herself her mom took care of her. After a sister tried to have her comitted my aunt got the help from the social workeers she need and now can leave her appartment and care for herself once more. She wont go out unless she needs something.