The Region - News from Jan. 29, 1986

A large nasogastric tube through which quadriplegic cerebral palsy victim Elizabeth Bouvia is being force-fed will be replaced with a smaller tube to ease her discomfort, county lawyers representing the Lancaster hospital where she is a patient promised in Los Angeles Superior Court. The agreement followed a recommendation of Judge Warren Deering to “try to reach some accommodation” for the comfort of the 28-year-old woman, who lost a court battle two years ago to be allowed to starve herself. Deering took under submission a request of Bouvia’s lawyers for an order barring High Desert Hospital officials from providing any medication or treatment without Bouvia’s informed consent and from maintaining her in a type of bed designed to prevent bedsores, but which she says causes her extreme physical agony. Deering is scheduled to rule Feb. 12 on her earlier request to halt the force-feeding.