The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-03-12 00:00:00

THE WELSH FASTING GIRL.

The magisterial inquiry was resumed at Llandyssil,
on Saturday morning last,
Dr. Robert Fowler, 145, Bishopsgate, London, said he wa
sta)ing in the neighbourhood in August and September last
year. Du the 13th of August, in company with Dr. Davies,
Jim ,he went to the fasting girl's house. Mr. Davies in the
presence of the mother, wiped permisilon to examine the
girl. The father came in when he (witness) w. examining
the girl, who, when he entered the room, was lying in bed
on her back, the light from the window falling on her. She
was reading to Ir.reelf, there being two books on the bed
supporting the open one. Ile could not say whether she
turned over the pages. The girl's appearance was Ilan-
guineous. She appeared plump. Ile observed a restlessness
of the eyes to and fro. She was apparently looking at him
ask dice. This, in his opinion was Indicative of simulative
disease. He had had great experience of these kind of dis-
eases. . _ .

•
I The Chairman : Called malingering.
Witness Yes. She had the expression et health, and no
• appearance of mental anxiety. Before he examined her
I both her hands were outside the bed clothes, as far as lie
! could recollect. The girl did not have gloves on. lhe girl
' heard the permission given, and he did not observe any
change ill her countenance. Ile found the pulse natural, be-
tween eighty and uiuety. The condition of the body was
very good as regards fat, about the average of a girl if her
• age. ihe skin was moist and supple. He applied the
stethescope to her chmt, and the sounds were perfectly
natural. This was after partially removing her clothing.
When he removed the clothing the child went off
Into what the mother called a fit, which consisted of a
closing of the eyee, a moment's apparent Unconsciousness,
and a slight soblibm As a scientific man, he would say
that the symptoms were not consistent with a fainting fit ;
they were consistent with a hysterical tit. Ile examined the
stomach by percussion, by tapping, Am He heard a noire in
the stomach—the sound of gurgling. It would proceed from
the mixture of air and fluid in motion. If that Mild had not
been in the stomach he believed the noise could not have
been heard. The mother said that no solid or liquid food hail
buen taken by the girl for about twenty-three nionths. The
mother said that about once a fortnight they moistened the
lips with water. Ile was then informed that the girl could
not move her left side. Ile examined her left arm; it
appeared to be slightly colder-than the right. The left arm
was close to her side. He noticed that she slightly moved
the left forearm, with apparently less facility than the
right. Ile did not think he felt the left side of the body,
except the left leg. He did so by turning up the clothes
from the bottom of the bed. The left leg and foot
appeared to be slightly colder than the right. He tickled
both feet. Ile could see movements of the muscles and
tendons of the leg when he tickled the right foot, and the
same when he tickled the left—he should say in the same
degree. The difference in the degree of heat might he con-
sistent with less motion. He should say that the difference
of heat would be more than he felt if there had been paralysis.
lie did not, speaking as a medical man, believe either side
was paralyzed at that time. lle had been told at that time
that the nails had not been cut for two years. He found that
some of the nails had straight edges and round corners, and
others had the appearance of being torn. Ile believed the
nails had been cut within a fortnight. The effect of severe
disease produced a groove or furrow in the lower part of
the nails, which is caused by the unequal growth being
! checked during the progress of the disease. Had there been
severe disease within six months he should have expected to
have seen the groove.. As far as he knew from his reading, a
person in • normal state of health can fast from seven to ten
• days, without food or drink. There would be emaciation, a
, change in the appearance of the countenance, symptoms of a
brain affection the face would become pallid, the eyes sunk.
The moat extreme case on record of fasting was fifty-eight
days before death; this was mentioned in a work of recog-
nised authority, the case of a prisoner at Toulouse men-
tioned by Guy. The longest time a person had tested
without food or water and then given in and recovered was
the case of Caspar; but on reading the case it appeared that
one day he had some medicine, etherial spirit, and another
day his lips were moistened with water. In his opinion if
the house had been on fire the girl could have got out of bed
and ran out of the house—that wu when he saw her. He
should soy from his obeervation that the girl could not have
been in bed so long as twenty-three months without using
her lisilce, Had the girl been in bed for so long a time he
should have expected to find sores or marks of pressure on
the heel. The girl was lying on a poor thin bed on a sacking.
Mr. Colerithe Assuming the child to be in the genie con-
dition in December as when you new her ha August, and not
to have had any hioti or water, in your °pint n as a medical
man bow long could the girl have lasted without awakening
the fears of medical so, n of ordinary ability b—Witneu said
it was extremely difficolt o anewer the question without
being presort t with the girl during the watching.
Mr. Eliza-titian): Are you acquainted with Dr. Cullen's
work On catalepsy? It in a text book in the profe.sion.—
I know the work; it was a tixt bock a hundred years ago
perhaps.
Mr. litzwilllam Can you say what is there stated about
catalepsy and nervous diseases?—The witness replied that
Isis knowledge wa epractical, not theoretical.
Examination continued: There was an abnormal state that
would enable a penon to hold out Dusting fee skinner period
than a person in a normal state of health. At the time I
called, the girl's disease was simulative hysteria. I thought
each convulsion she had or was said to have had was
hysterical epilepsy, that it might have been coupled with a
habit of long fasting, stud that she might have acquired Inch
a habit anti power of fasting. At the time I saw her I
thought the apparent loss of motion in the left side was one
Of the symptoms of hysteria, hysterical patients having
sometimes a great disposition ho practise deception. I have
both known and read of instances in nitich children no
afflicted have been able to deceive their parents as to the
power to move a lest, an eye, or an arm. I have also known
cases in which at first, medical men themselves have been
deceived. I have also known cases, and have read of them,
in which children have refused to partake of food in the
presence of any one._
. . . . . . . .

By Mr. diit.torr: .filobns hystericus le, In my opinion, a
spasmodic affection of the gulieL I should say it waa not
dangerous to pass a tube down the girl's throat while the
spasms was prevailing—that Is if proper precautions were
used.

—Mr. Clifton: 1. 11 your opinion that no sensible medical
man should have tsken profesatonal charge of this child,
unless guaranteed perfect control over her ?—lt Is.
.

Exemlostion rearmed : I do not think It extremely dlffi-
r•o• rn.,Ten. 01 . t- t at :ha e.htz:00011 of 'l. r•

I have stated that the girl's symptoms were " coneistent with
a morbid perversion ot her will ;" but by that I meant as to
her getting out of bed only. Hysterical patients are very
prone to malingering. I have read of a case in which a
malingening patient had gone so far as to suffer amputation
of a limb, which on post-mortem examination was fomad to
be perfectly sound.
By Mr. Smith AN regards the assertion that she lived
without food,! regarded Has " shamming ;" I considered the
child 13 the subject of disease, which had mail ifested itself
the form of hysteria
Ile-examination continued II the girl had been a patient
of mine, and I had had fall control over her, I would not
have allowed her to go more than one day without food. I
mean that I would have administered It artificially. In my
opinion the girl was a light feeder. The loss of power of
motion was attributable to hysteria. Where the globes
hystericus Is present, feeding from a bottle is practicable. I
11,1 not see any symptoms of global hystericus when I visited
the gia
Mr. Thomas Edward Davies said he was a solicitor living
at Cantle in. Ile remembered going to Jacob's house in
company with Mr. Rees of Bristol. lle went straight Into
the room lu which Sarah was lying hi bed, and asked the
mother if she had any objection to Dr. Fowler examining the
girl. She said she slid not like every doctor to examine the
child, as some of them had been rough to her. He said
Dr. Fowler would net be rough, and the mother then ex-
pressed her willlngnese. He had seen the girl about eight
months before. iln the second visit the girl was differently
dressed and looked better. Dr Fowla• wlahed to examine
the girl's back, but the mother refused her sanction. she said
she was not willing, as the child was liable to go Into eta As
they were going away from the out premises witness said
to the father: "Dr. Fowler has desired me to tell you
that the child could he made to eat, provided she was taken
to an Infirmary or a hospital ;" and Carmarthen was mdn-
Honed. Dr Fowler offered to get the girl into a London
hospital if the father was willing. The father replied that he
was willing, as he believed the removal would cause the
child's death. Ile told the father that Dr Fowler did not
believe in the fasting story, and that lie (witness) thought he
was acting very cruelly towards his child. The father then
said he was very whin% for the doctors to come there to cure
the child if they liked.

The magisterial inquiry was again resumed on
Monday :
Mr John Griffiths (G)hebydir said he was a Welsh news-
paper correspondent, and first saw the girl in April,lo69.
He went from Aherystwith for the purpose, and saw her
twice between April and l)ecember last. Witness; had nothing
to do with the first wet-Ming. When his visit in April was
made, the father was not present Tim mother gave him
permission to see the girl. He asked how long she had
fasted, and the mother replied about a year and a half. The
mother also described how the child was first taken ill.
Witness did not touch the girl ; he stayed about half an
hour, and left half • crown with the child. He did not
write anything about that visit. At the second visit, in
September, he saw the father near the house, and conversed
with kiln. The father said in suietance just what the
mother hail told hint and went with hiM to the house, where
he saw the mother. filth parents entered the room together
wish him. The girl loossod ',osier wan in April ; he spoke
to her, and she ssti also remembered him, lie left the room,
and conversed with the parents about his suggestion to re-
move the girl tO an infirmary. The father said she could
not be removed from her own bed be another without faint-
ing The parents complained about having been persecuted.
Alter that visit, witness corresponded with Dr Phillips, of
Guy's Hospital. Ile asked the parents in Septemoor if they
I would have ally objection to nurses coming from the befit,
I 'nary. They both said they would not only consent, but would
be glad. The father walked part of the way with witness, and
repeated that he should be glad to have the nooses, adding
that he hail always been quiet in his family, and had never
been charged with falsehood. lathe latter end of November,
witness made a third visit and read to the parents Dr. Phil-
lips's suggestions. Witness had not the documentnow, he gave
it to Dr. seals after the meeting on the 30th of November,
Witness also read to the parents a letter from Dr. Phillips.
Ate meeting held at the Eagle on the 30th of November this
letter and the suggestiors • ere read. Mr. Davies was pre-
sent. (A printed copy of the letters and suggestions was
put in and read. Dr Phillips stated that he took up the
matter entirely at witness's suggestion ) Witneas resumed
When he read these suggestions to the parents the father
objected t, moving, the girl's bed, and wished to have a Welsh
girl in the room with the nurses. Witness communicated
with its. Phillips Media thia, and received his letter back,
with an endorsement that there would be no objection to
having a girl from the neighbourhood provided she were
trustworthy.
I.Ld Itt. William Thomas, recalled, stated that Mr.
Davies, surgeon, was present at the meeting when these sag-
gallons were read, and when he was nominated on the com-
mittee.
. . .

511. Uriffith's examination was then resumed. Ile was pre-
talk when the preparations for watching commenced. All
the doctors were present when the nurses came. Witness
told the mother he understood there was an objection to any
one watching with the mines. The parents saki they would
consent to dispense with extra watcher. If the girl was
willing. The mother asked the girl, and she said the Ut
looked very kind and she did not think they would hurt
her. Two of the mines that evening brought a basket of
rtfreshments. The mother said she hoped they would not
eat before the child, as it would make her sick. Witness
returned to Swansea and did not conic again until after the
girl's death.

- Elisabeth Clinch, eerie from Guy'. Hospital, said she left
L Anion on the Bth of December and reached Jacob's house
on the 9th. tither nurses were with her. At Carmarthen
Mr. Griffiths GohebylltE introduced her to Mr. Lewis, who
said he wished her to watch the girl and would give her in-
structions next day. At the house on the following day
witness saw the doctors, the vicar, and the secretary. Mr.
Lewis instructed her to search the room for food, but none
was found. Witness asked what was to be done about the
girl's having food. Mr. Lewis said, " l'on are to watch if
she takes food or not. If she asks for it it is to be given her.
Sometimes she takes a little water to &hien her lips; if she
asks give it her. It will be better not to deter all visitors
from the room." Wituees was to send for Mr. Davies if she
saw any danger, The parents wero to be allow ed to enter
the room and have access to the girL Slimy persons were
In the room giving Instructions.

The head nurse then went into details of each day's
watching, after which the Court adjourned.

On Tuesday, full details were given by the pmfes-
sional nunes respecting the symptoms manifested by
the girl I luring the period of the watching, aud the in-
vestigation was again adjournel