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

REMARKABLE CASES OF SrBssTING WITHOUT
Foop The singular history OF CreIy de Ridge
way, found in records OF Towers of London, oc
Cured in the reign Of Edward III. She was con
demned for the murder Of her husband. She re.
manned forty days without food drink. The
, King granted rardon-her abstinence was con.
sldered miraculous.
The Cambridgeshire farmers wife was buried
under the snow for ten or twelve days, during
which time she swallowed nothing except little
of the STOW which covered her
In medical essays for 1920, the case ola young
girl IL recorded, who, ia consequence OF the sud
den death Of an induIgent father, fell into a state
IF tetanus, could not swallow food or drink for
thlrty-Hpur days, and subsequently for a period OF
fftyfpur days-yet she had not lost much flesh
HiIdamus, Haer, and other pm ysiologsts, have
collected great nanlber Of similar cases, though
the abstinence was often Of longer duration, some
oF them extended to sixteen years. But their case
was so loosely written and attested, that we can
not lace much reliance on them.
The different volumes of the Philosophical
Tran suctipns contain numerous cases Of the same
character, apparently drawn up with scrupuous
accuracy, and supported by the best kind Of evil
dence. We there read Of four who were sud
denybured by an excavation OF earth under which
they were employed. The earth covered them in
manner which left them free 10 move about some
little distance. They had free access to a spring
Of water, and were not extricated for twenty-one
water.
The same journal records the case Of a Young
man who drink very freely Of cold water when
IN violent perspration, and was thereby thrown
into an inhammatory fever, from which he with
difficulty recovered. But the fever left him with
dislike for food Of all kinds. At the time the
account Of this case was drawn up by his physi-
clan, it is stated that he had not tasted any thing
but water for eighteen years. Several persons
who saw the young man, suspected imposition
To test the correctness of their suspicious it was
agreed that he should be confined closely 70,
twenty days, having access only to water. At the
expiration OF the time no change was manifested
in his appearance, which, it is said, uniformly
good.
In most Of these cases i, appears that water was
used; but Hildamus mentions q case where both
solids and liquids were abs,aned from for sixteen
years.
But one of the most singular, and at the same
time the best authenticated on record s ,b.t
of Jane M.Leod, published in the Philosonbical
Transactions, by DR.. Mackenzie. She WINS a,
years old at the time the case was recorded and
had had epilepsy and tetanic affections for the ls
preceding years. The power OF speech and swal.
lowing was lost, and with 1t all desire TO eat or
drink. She was confined 10 her bed, slept much
passed nothing from her system, except some
blood from her nostrils, which seemed 10 come
from the lungs. She had occasional periods OF
relaxation, when the muscles employed in swal-
lowing would be disposed 10 act On a few OF
these occasions, and after several intervening
months Of abstinence, she would he prevailed upon
to swallow few crumbs Of bread, soaked in
water, IN the hollow Of her hand. With these