Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-03
THE HUMBUG OF HYsTER1Cs.
A SclentI6c Man en- MOIIie Faneher's
Long-lOst Appetlte-The Case Of
the Swedish Fasting Girl

eaten anything for nearly fourteen
years" The New York Sun has held
an interview with DR.. Hammond in
relation to Molhe, and thus reports
that distinguished gentleman:
DR.. William A. Hammond sat in an
immense and ancient chair in his
library when the Sun reporter called
upon him.
Il have read the article on Miss
Fancher," he said; "read it all
through carefully"
""Well, what do you think of it
doctor ?"
what do / think of IT'D Why,
that it is a perfect humbug-a clear
case of deception, sir"
But, doctor, there is the testi-
mony of such men as the Rev. DR..
Duryan, the Rev. DR.. Van Dyek, Prof.
West, Henry Parkhurst, the astrono-
mer, and such physicians as Drs.
Speir, Ormiston, Nissan and Nit
chell."
Il don't mean to say that the writer
Of that article has not been told all
that he has written, or that the gen
tlemen named are not honest in their
opinions. But l know hat they are
all deceived-lied to by this hysterical
girl"
but just see what tests she was
subjected to, How can there be any
deception?"
"Well there is deception in it ALL
said the doctor, vigorously. It's all a
humbug. Why, my dear fellow. she
isn't the first girl that has deceived
learned and good men. There are
plenty of cases of simulated Mysteries,
and Miss Fancher's case is one |
haven't seen her, never heard of her
before; but l have heard of so many
other similar cases that | do not hesi-
tate to speak strongly about it.
THE worst case of this kind, con-
tinued the doctor, lis that of Sarah
Jacob, who was known as the Welsh
Fasting Girl She was born on May
II, 1857. Her parents were ignorant,
In her early years she was healthy and
{ intelligent, given to religious reading,
and, it is said, composed poetry. She
was a very pretty child. In February,
; 1867, she complained of pain in the
: pit Of her stomach, and afterward had
3 spasms of a clearly hysterical charac-
ter. She suffered much from fits and
spasms, and the quantity Of food she
ate gradually diminished. On the
10th of October it was s0lemnly de-
r clared that she had ceased to take any
food whatever. Then she began tC
! attract attention The parent;
: insisted that she ate nothing
! that food was loathsome to her. The
E vicar was skeptical, and for months
argued with the girl and her parents
e telling them that he knew there wa
a deception. They strenuously denied
! it, and at length the vicar himsel
! gave in, He believed in the fasting
3 and published a letter that he knew
G that she had not taken a single grail
of any kind of food whatever durin
S. sixteen months He invited medica
men to examine into her case. Tn
suggestion of the vicar was acted upo.
by the neighbors. They appointed
n committee, which watched fourtee
le days and the committee reported tina
it was a genuine case, no deception
: However, the reports of this cas-
4 show that the watch was a very care
e less one, the parents having access t
n the child at all times. Then Dl
10 Fowler, a noted physician, looked int
v the case and examined the girl care
ll5 fully. He found her a pretty, plum
II child, with rosy checks and lips an
" sparkling eyes. He found by his e1
~ animation that her condition was sue
to as to show the impossibility of he
n being the subject of an exhaustiy
disease, or even Of her having been j
bed continuously for nearly two year
as her parents asserted. DR.. Fowler
conclusion, as published in the LoI
don Times, was that it was simply
Il case of simulatiye hysteria in a yOun
girl having the propensity to deceiV
very strongly developed, and that wit
it was associated, notably, the pow,
OF habit of prolonged fasting.
ne well" continued the doctor, I'll
be case created SO much excitement TIL
at corps of trained nurses, from Guy
d, Hospital, London, were sent to watC
a. Sarah. Her parents sanctioned Il
proceedings, and the watch began
ny the 9th Of December, 1869. Gradual
IT. symptoms of mental and physical di
he turbance appeared. Five days lat
Oh she was looking pale and anxious h
tie eyes were sunken, her nose pinche
ed The vicar told her parents that Sari
II was failing, and suggested sending d
of nurses away and giving her a chan
of to obtain food. They refused sa
ch they had e her quite as weak b
/ a fore, and that she would not c
us whether the nurses were there OF NJ
to Repeatedly we're they begged to wit
he draw the nurses, and again and aga
Of they refused, saying there was no {
re- casion. Sarah became weaker a
be weaker, and on the 18th of Decent
.ch died-actually starved TO death. Y
sir, starved TO death. The case Great
he much excitement. An inquest v
of held. The coroners said there could
ost no doubt that the responsibility rest
mt with the father, who knowingly a
cts designedly failed 10 cause his child
md take food. The jury dehberated fife
ing minutes and returned a verdict Il
Of Sarah Jacob died of starvation eau,
ok, by the neglect of the father to ma
The the child take food. Then the COVE
he ment took the matter up, Jacob a
,ed his wife were arrested and also
to medical men who had suporintend
lie the watching. No case was made
it'll against the latter. The former VI
ces tried for manslaugbter; the father
ave sentenced to twelve months h;
ing labor and the mother to six months