The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-11-07
FASTING MOLLIE FANsHER.

A Strange Freak Of Naturc-A Young
Woman Who Has Lived Fourteen Years
Absolutely Without Food-Doctors Who
youch for Her.
From the New York Herald.
In a modest, secluded house at the cor
ner of Myrtle avenue and Downing street,
Brooklyn, lives an invalid lady afflicted
with paralysis, with history so remarka-
BILE and extraordinary that, notwlthstand-
ing it is vouched 70 by physicians of stand
ing. it is almost incredible. 1t is claimed
that for period of nearly fourteen years
she has lived absolutely without food or
nourishment OF any kind. The case has
been kept by the family of the patient a
well guarded secret, it having led them
to strict seclusion as the only means of
protection against the curious and incred-
ulous.
The name of the remarkable person is
Miss Mollie Fansher. To the half dozen
medical gentlemen who have seen and at
tended her her case is inexplicable. To
learn the history of the strange
case Il Herald reporter yester-
day called on several persons familiar with
the facts. The first person seen was DR..
Ormiston, Of No. "A Hanson place. Brook
lyn, who attended her. He said: ut
seems incredible. but from everything |
can learn Molhe Fansher never eats. The
elder Miss Fancher, her Aunt. who takes
care Of her, is lady Of the highest intelli-
gence. She was at one time quite wealthy,
and she has at present a comfortable in
come. have every reason to believe that
her statements are in every detail reliable.
During dozen visits to the sick chamber
| have never detected evidence of the
patient having eaten morsel." A visit
to the house of the patient by the reporter
was unsuccessful, the occupants stating
that 1t was the physicians direction to adj
NIT no one. He found, however lady
intimate with the family, who thus des-
cribed Molfie Fansher: Il shall never
forget my impression of the poor girl when
! first saw her. Her room was then and
is now kept dark, but ones eyes quickly
become accustomed to the gloom Flow
ers. birds. and books brighten up the in
va!id's chamber. though little good it
does her sightless eyes.
HOW SHE LOOKS.
''Mollie, can safely say. is one Of the
most beautiful women | ever saw. Even
row. in spite of her long years of pain.
Ger face is striking 1t is what artists
Term spi,iiuelle. with light curly hair, clear
complexion, dark Though sightless) eyes,
and thoughtful, intelligent features. Her
blonde, curly hair-how can describe it =?
1t cannot be more than four inches in
length. vet it curls close to her head. is
parted slightly on the side, and is combed
back from her face in the most charming
and jjaunty manner possible. She is a
woman who. under ordinary circumstances.
would weigh about one hundred and
thirty pounds. Her cheeks are full, her
mouth and nose delicatcly nodded, and
her teeth white, small, and even. She has
lain to my knowledge for fourteen years
in the same room and in very nearly the
same position. and has not eaten any nu-
tritious food since 1866. Doctors have
tried to force down little wine or milk
occasionally. but the patient has to be
held firmly during the operation. This
will happen at long intervals, but it is
her electors, opinion that she is better
without the driblets of food Tor, rather,
drink thus forcibly taken"
CAUSED BY A FALL.
But my poor friend, continued the
lady, twas not always in this condition.
When u years of age she was bright
lively creature, as her conversation shows;
but she received terrible fall in the year
1864, which was followed by a paralytic
stroke, supposed to have been Occasioned
by it. For nine weeks from that time the
girl never moved or spoke. She was quite
cold, and appeared to be dead, but, as
there came no change, they decided not to
bury her. Her body, from the waist down.
ward. became gradually shrivelled and
contorted, owing probably to the spinal
affection bringing on spasms. But | am
not able to give medical opinion Oh the
strange case. You had better go and see
DIR. Spier, of No. 1872 Montague street.
He is her regular attendant
PHYSICIANS BAFFLED.
DIR. Spier was found in his comfortable
little office, and the Grand of the writer
made known:
as it true, doctor, that patient of
yours has lived for fourteen years without
taking food?"
IF you refer to Miss Fansher, yes. She
became my patient in 1864 Her case is
most remarkable one.
''Bot has she eaten nothing during all
these years.
IL can safely say she has not
"Are the family also willing TO vouch
for the truth of this extraordinary state
ment?"
"You will find them very reticent to
newspaper men and to strangers generally.
do not believe any food-that is. solids
ever passed the woman's lips since her
attack of paralysis, consequent upon her
mishap. As for an occasional teaspoonful
of water or milk sometimes force her to
open her mouth, but that is painful to
her. As early as 1865 I endeavored to
sustain life in this way. for feared that,
in obedience to the universal law of ma
ture. she would die of gradual inanition
or exhaustion. which | thought would
sooner or latter ensue; but | was mis-
taken. The case knocks the bottom out of
all existing medical theses, and Is, in a
word, miraculous"
POSITIVELY 10 DECEPTION.
.'Did you ever" asked the reporter,
make an experiment to satisfy your pro-
fessional accuracy In regard to her absti-
nence?"
Several times have given her emetics
on purpose TO discover the truth; but the
result always confirmed the statement that
she had taken no food. 1t sounds strange
", but it is so. have taken every pre-
caution against deception, sometimes GO
ing into the house at IL or II o'clock at
night, without being announced, but have
always found her the same and lying in
the same position occupied by her for the
entire portion of her invalidity. The
springs of the bedstead are actually worn
out with the constant pressure. My breth-
rem in the medical profession at 6rst werel
inclined to laugh at me and call me fool
and spiritualist, when l told them of the
long abstinence and keen mental powers
OF my interesting patient. But such as
have been admitted to see her are con-
WINGED. These are DIR. OrmistOn, DR..
Elliott, and DIR. Hutchinson. some OF the
best talent in the city, who have seen and
believed"
THREAD OF ROMANCE.
The story of Miss Fansner's accident
and its melancholy consequences is quite
affecting. It is collected from the various