The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-13
LIFE WITHOUT FOOD.
An Invalid Lady who for Fourteen Years
has Lived without Nourihsm ent-The
Laws of Life Defied-A Sad and Roman
in Lar

An Invalid Lady who for Fourteen Ysnr
has Lived without Nourihsment-Th'
Laws of Life Defed-A Sad and Roman
tic History.
In o modest, secluded house at tn
corner of Myrtle avenue and Downing
street, Brooklyn, lives an invalid lad,
afflicted with paralysis, with a history 81
remarkable and extraordinary that, not
withstanding it is vouched for by ply
sicians of standing, it is almost incredi
BILE. It is claimed that for a period O.
nearly fourteen years she has lived alb
solutely without food or nourishment O.
any kind. The case has been kept by
the family of the patient we'll guarded
secret, it having led them to a stric
seclusion as the only means Of protection
against the visits of the curious and in
credulous.
The name of the remarkable person il
Miss Mollie Fansher. To the half dozer
medical gentlemen who dave seen ani
attended her her case is inexplicable
To learn the history of the strange case 6
Herald reporter called on several per
sons familiar with the facts. The frs
person seen was DR.. Ormiston, of No.
IA Hanson place, Brooklyn, who attend
ed her. He said: Z" It seems Incredible
but from everything I can learn Mollie
Fansher never eats. The elder Miss
Fansher, her aunt, who takes care oi
her, is lady OF the highest intelligence.
She was at one time quite wealthy, and
she has at present a comfortable income.
I have every reason to believe that hel
statements are in every detail reliable.
During dozen visits to the sick cham
Der have never detected evidence oi
the patient having eaten a morsel." A
visit to the house of the patient by the
reporter was unsuccessful, the occupants
stating that it was the physicians direc
tions to admit no one. He found, how.
ever, lady intimate with the family,
who thus described Mollie Fansher: "I
shall never forget my impression of the
poor girl when I first saw her. Her
room was then and is now kept dark,
but ones eyes quickly become accus'
toned to the gloom. Flowers, birds and
books brighten up the invalid's cham.
Der, though little good it does to hel
sightless eyes.
"Mollie, I can safely say, is one of
the most beautiful women I ever saw.
Even now, in spite of her long years OF
pain, her face is striking. It is what
artists term spirituelle, with light curly
hair, clear complexion, dark (hough
sightless) eyes and thoughtful, intelli.
gent features. Her blonde, curly hair
how can I describe it? It cannot be
more than four inches in length, yet it
curls close to her head, is parted slight.
~ on the side and is combed back from
her face in the most charming and
jaunty manner possible. She is q
woman who, under ordinary circum.
stances, would weigh about one hun
dred and thirty pounds. Her cheeks
are full, her mouth and nose deGcately
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 nutritious 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 doctors opinion
that she is better without the driblets
Of food (or rather drink) thus forcibly
TAKEN"
DR.. Spier Cher regular attendant)
was found in his comfortable little Office,
and the errand of the writer made
known:
"Is it true, doctor, that patient Of
yours has lived for fourteen years with.
out taking fooda"
"If you refer to Miss Fansher, yes.
She became my patient in 1864. Hel
case is most remarkable one."
"But has she eaten nothing during
all these years ?"
II can safely say she has not"
care the family also willing to vouch
for the truth of this extraordinary state.
ment ?"
"You will find them very reticen!
to newspaper men and to strangers gen.
orally. I do not believe any focd-that
is, solids-ever passed the woman's lips
since her attack ofparalysis, consequent
upon her mishap. AS for an occasional
teaspoonful of water or milk I some
times force her to take it by using an
instrument to pry open her mouth, but
that is painful to her. As early as 1860
T endeavored to sustain life in this way,
for I feared that, in obedience to the
universal law of nature, she would die
of gradual inanit:on or exhaustion,
which I thought would sooner or later
ensue but was mistaken. The case
knocks the bottom out of all existing
medical theses, and is, in word, mi
rculous."
"Did you ever" asked the reporter
"make an experient to satisfy your pro-
fessional accuracy in regard to her ab
stinence?"
"Several times have given her emet
les on purpose to discover the truth
but the result always confirmed the
statement that she had taken no food
It sounds strangely, but it is 30. I have
taken every precaution against decep
ton, sometimes going into the house a.
eleven or twelve o'clock at night, with
out being announced, but have always
found her the same and lying in the
same position occupied by her for thu
entire period of her invalidity. Tht
springs of her bedstead are actually
worn out with the constant pressure
My brethren in the medical profession
at first were inclined to laugh at me ani
call me fool and spiritualist when ]
told them of the long abstinence anc
keen mental powers of my interesting
patient. But such as have been ad.
mitted to see her are convinced. These
are DR.. Ormiston, DR.. Elliott and Dr.
Hutchinson, some of the best talent ii
the city. who have seen and believed.
The story of Miss Fansher's acciden
and it's melancholy consequences il
quite affecting. It is collected from the
various statements given by half dozer
friends of the family to the Herald re
porter. interviewer with it is threat
of romance, tale of early love ant
courtship, of life embittered by crue
accident, of patient waiting and tina
release of the suitor from his engage
ment to marry another.
Mary's parents lived in sumptuou
dwelling on Washington avenue, Brook
lyn, and were reported to be wealthy
Their favorite daughter Mollie, as sh'
was called, was sent to Prof. West
high school in Brooklyn at an early age
and here developed many brilliant quail
tiles of mind and heart which argued
we'll for her future. At seventeen sh'