The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-12

! few exceptions, and even in these cases, most Of
what she swallowed Immediately elected
She lived many years without food or drink. She
lay motonless most of the time, though she lost
none of her freshness of countenance; she had u
regular but feeble pulse, and fullness of muscu-
lar development.
Doctor Mackenzie visited her for about nine
years, at the end of which time she had slightly
improved. Before the history Of this case was
sent to the Royal Society, IL was read to the pa
tent and certified to by the minister of the parish,
all of whom were persons noted for their eXceen-
cy of character also, by several persons, lnclud-
ing the sheriff aud justice of the peace or the place
We have not mentioned the case of Ann Moore,
who was called the 'iastlng woman ofIutbury."
There was no doubt ofdecepton or imposition in
this case. IL was ascertalned that her daug liter
conveyed little tea and water to her occasionally
although she pretended neither to eat nor drink
Her object was to obtain contributions from vIsI-
tiers. Yet the committee who investigated her
case, reported that the detection OF the fraud left
the case almost remarkable as before. They
watched her for ten days, and she took neither
food nor drink but al the end Of that time, her
daughter stated that her mother had drank either
tea or water at intervals Of about ten days; so
that the lnposture was proven, though the com
mittee asserts that Ann Moore could endure prlva-
lion longer than it would be supposed compatible
with life.
A great multitude Of hypothesis, con lectures,
and opinions hnve been offered in explanation of
these wonderful phenomena or anomalies. The
medical world has never gwen any satisfactory
exclamation of them. Suppose we try 10 give one.
Ii it be incorrect it will do no harm. Ii will he
observed that in Of these cases, if not in all,
the patients were persons whose nervous organI-
cations were deranged they were eplleptlc or te-
tanic patients. Disease had made inroads or
changes in their constitutions. We know so little
Of the laws which govern the nervous system, or
little, in fact, of the causes Of animal life, that
it would be presumptuous in us not 10 confess
much ignorance the sub ject. We know that
certain animals will live long time without food.
We know that toads have been found impacted
and alive, in solid blocks of crysaiZed marble,
that must have been Il century or more in forming,
and where they could have had nothing more in
the shape Of nourishment than little moisture.
In most of the cases that we have alluded TO-,
where persons have lived long time without
food they partook Of water. 1t Is possible that
from disease or some other cause, the system may
he so changed that it live without any Of that
food which seems absolutely necessary to sustain
it when in health. Besides, water contains two
Of the four chief elementary substances which con-
stilu,e all animal bodies. Oxygen, nitrogen, hy-
drogen, aud carbon, are the four elementary or
| simple substances which constitute nine tenlhs OF
| our bodies, and one-carbon-as u solid body
Water is composed Of oxygen and hydrogen
The atmosphere is composed of oxygen and nitro
gen.
So, it will be seen that person who freely
breothes pure atmosphere, and drinks freely o
water, takes into his system at least three Of thu
chief elementary ingredients which compose his
body. True, the weight and solid contents OF the
body are chiefly derived from carbon, and pnre
air and pure water contain none of it as we car
ascertain. Though the air we breathe, and the
water we drink often contain myriads Of animal
cules which may furnish al least some carbon to
! the system.
How far, then, our systems may lie supplied
| from these two sources, with q suficlency Of car
bon for sustaining life, may be conjectured mot
positively known How far, also, that the vital
principle in our bodies may be suspended, so that
we require no food to sustain life, must be left
without any positive knowledge on the subject.
Air and water may certainly contain sufficient
nourishment to sustain animal life for long pc.
Rod especially in constitutions singuarIy affect
ed by disease.