The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-04-27 00:00:00

THE WELSH FASTING GIRL.
Sarah iseobs, aged twelve on the 17th of next month,
is the daughter of a farmer rewiding in the with of
Lienthaberel-ar•Arth. Carmarthenrbire, and laths third
chlld In a family of seven. All the other children are
healthy. The farm is situated in a valley having a south
aspect, and it is near the lower pert of the valley.
There is humid land on the west side of the house. The
house itself is straw-thatched, with one storey. The
room occupied by the girl is on the ground door, and is
of moderate size. The Boor is of mortal composition,
and is sot covered with boards or inciting. There are
two bedsteads in the room—one occupied by the girl's
parents, and the other by herself. Her bedstead is
rather low, and so placed in the room that no direct
light frills on the girl ; and this ha. been the position of
the bed for the last twelve months. There has not been
any fire in the bedroom from the commencement of her
Ulnas. The alleged facts respecting this girl are, that
she has not swallowed any food whatever sines October
10,1867, and that she has sot'swallowed any water or any
other fluid since the end of December, 1867. Previoua
history of Sarah Jacobs :—,She was healthy as • child,
and remained so until Fehroary. 1866. At that time she
palmed through an attack of searlatine, which spread
through the family; and, although no medical treat-
ment was adopted, all the children recovered. After
about a fortnight's oonfinement to the house, the was
quite well, and went to a neighbouring school. About
February 15th, 1867, she first complained of pain in the
epigastric region ; and one morning, on getting up, she
complained to her mother of having some frothy bloody
fluid in her mouth. What the *muse of this was could
not be asoertained. On Sunday. February 170,
pstrie pain, which was chiefly in the left aide, became
agonising, and continued until the evening. when, after
taking some remedies ordered by Mr. Davies, of Llandys-
sil, she was relieved. She has never left her bed since
this severe a•thck. Fore fortnight afterwards she com-
plained still of epigastrio pain, but did not lose
conectionansas. At the end of • fortnight froui the
commencement •.f her illness ahe Leggin to stiffer from
convulsive atta-ks, which, from the description given.
were epileptic. During the fits the body was arched
forwards very eonsiderably, the centre of the spine being
very much r.ised from the bed. After continuing for
a short time in a state of opisthonos. the muscular
sperm suddenly ceased, and she fell flat on the bed
again. For • whole month she °optioned in s state of
uneonsciousness, suffering from constant tepetitions of
severe convulsive attacks, during which time she took
little food. At the end of • month she seemed to
recover natuial consciousness, and asked for food.
From this time the his ceased to be of the convulsive
type; but they were simply temporary loss of con-
scionstiess, with sudden awakenings. For • month she
partook of rice and milk, and • preparation of oatmeal
and milk, in fair quantities. She then gradually
declined in her desire for fond until August of the
same year, when she took only small quantities of
boiled apple and milk. Thus she continued until the
10th of the following October (1867), when she ceased
to take any food whatever. From this date to the
following Christmas she was given email quantities of
water, in the course of the d.y mnotniting to only a
few teaspoonfuls; but since the end of December, 1967,
she has not swallowed any fluid. Occasionally, after
coming out of her attacks, • little water is applied to
her lips; but even this has not been done for the space
of nine day.. Sines she has ceased to take any food,
she has not 'offered from any intercurrent attacks of
Illness, saving a few herpetlo eruptions on her lip and
and occasional headache. The last time the bowels were
moved was on November 6th, 1867. She continued to
par some urine for about • month after this, and then
she ceased to pass any until Angled, 1868, when she
we. found to oemsionally wet the blanket —about
twice • week—with a small stain. She has bad no
secretion from the nostrils; and the skin has had no
sensible peropirat on, except on the bands and feet,
which feel motet. In May, 1887, she lost all her hair;
but deice then it has been entirely reproduced, and is
now long. Her second dentition has been completed
since her illness, and she has grown in length during
this tiose.—State on April 7th, 1869 : She wag lying in
a low bed, on her back, the 'boulders and head slightly
raised, and her right arm outside the clothes, which she
mov id at will. Her face wee not emaciated, but
moderately full, with slight flush on the cheeks, and
the nose and colour of lips natural; her legume were
perfect and good-looking ; the skin other face generally
was healthy; her front teeth were normal, and it was
said that the remainder were so, though I did not see
them. SI., was not able to open her month ,• she never
put out her tongue. The temperature of the forehead
natural;was her eyes were bright, the irides of hazel
brown colour. The general aspect of her false was that
of being delicate, not cachectic. As her examination
required to be proceeded with cautiously, her body was
not uncovered, but my hand WU applied immediately
to the front of chest and abdomen. The skin covering
theme parts wee warm ; there was no excessive emacia.
tion felt; the abdomen WU not depressed, but was of
the usual position of a slender child. Ocoasional date.
lent rumbling noises were heard in the abdomen. The
whole of the right arm was seen, and the leg,; the
the colour and texture of the skin on these parts were
healthy; the heed looked delicate, and the mids well
formed. The length of the right forearm and hand,
from the point of the elbow to the end of the middle
finger, was 14 inches ; from the point of the elbow to
the carpal end of the nina was 8 inches ; the ifirtb of
the middle of the arm, 7 inches, and of the middle of
the forearm ci icohes ; the length of the whole body
was 4 feet 8 inches, measured with a tape. The respire.
ton was natural; 17 inspirations in the minute. The
superficial breadth of the chest, across the level of the
snammmes, was ten inches. Tee palm was feeble, but
distinct, and variable, from 100 to 118 per minute.
The temperature in the skills, fitter three minutes' rest,
was 95 degrees; the temperature of the feet rather low.
She sleeps well every night from six to eight boars, but
she does not sleep in the day. She Is cheerful in her
disposition. I beard her read aloud • Welsh hymn;
her volee as. plaintive, hot moderately loud and
distinct. During my visit she bad three or four attacks
of unconsciousness; one was caused by the barking of
• dog. She partially closed the eyelids, and remained
perfectly still; the ember of the face waa not altered.
After two or three minutes she heaved • sigh, made •
slight sound, and seemed like one seddenly awaking
from sleep. She is once a day removed from one bed to
another for the purpose of shaking bar bei ; during
tine time she remains in a state of unconsciousness
or what they cell "a fit," and does not recover nutil
replaimal in her own bed. She is clothed in a coloured
flannel and calico night-dress. The foregoing *mount
is drawn up, after • visit to the girl—for two objects—
to satisfy the curiosity of persona at • distance who
are desirous of knowing the history and the present
state of the Welsh fasting girl, and also to awaken the
attention of those who have the leisure and the scien-
tific ardour to visit the mule, and investigate and judge
for themselves. During the fortnight ending April sth
instant, she was watched by two persons night and day.
The result of this will doubtless be communicated in
a short time. The statements made respecting Sarah
Jacobs are of such an satounding nature that belief
Is scarcely possible; yet accumulated evidence might
protium conviction. Some attempt has been made to
test the credibility of the perenta of the girl, as already
mentioned, by watching her closely; but the attempt
came to an end for want of funds to pay for the services
of the watchers. It may be stated tnat the girl's
went' are respectable farmers, not in seedy circum-
stances, and that they could have no motive for um.
posing on the public. I do not offer say explanations
as to the manner in which life and growth can be
maintained without ordinary food. Those who Mid the
case will form their own theories. My °Mee has been
simply that of a narrator.—Dr. Lzwie, of Carmarthen,
in the Brasile Medical Animal.