The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-04-26
SPECIMEN FASTING GIRlR.
Recent Cases Which Differ from thai
Of Miss Fapchor-Whilo tho Latter
Denies the Wonders that have
been Related About Her,
the Former Persisted
In q Course Of Dc.
ception and
Fraud.
New York SUM-

tho champion fastlng'gl having de-
MED tho story thu for thi(oeen years
che has eaten next to nothing, che
can not be classed among tho many
other alleged fasting girls, each Of
whom, on investigation, proved to
be a frand. Her case. according to
her own statement, printed In yes.
terday's Star, is a very ordinary one.
She is partially paralyzrd and aub.
ject to epileptic Cts, aud, consequent.
Is, has for a long time been confined
to her bed. She scarcely ever moves
and thinks little, so that no part Of
her 81 stem il brought into active play,
and the quantity If food she need to
sustain life is, "a u natural conse.
quencc, very small. Among recent
cases Of so-callel fasting, q few are
here given, simply to show that, even
If the grossly exaggerated reports
about Miss Fancler's case had not
received their quietus from her own
lips, there was every reason to he.
lieve them untrue.
In 1872 there was an alleged fast
Jog girl, named Mary Weston, resi-.
ding in the village Of Causeway head,
near the Bridge Of Allan, England.
When . newspaper correspondent
called Rpon her sho was reported to
have subsiste.l for nearly I've years
without partaking Of any noarish.
ment. She was visited q gear after,
whep, che lay 10 exactly tho same
condition. A rheumatic attack had
loft her limbs swollen. Upon close
nvestigatlop It vas found that che
certainly took; nourishment, though
It consisted merely Of an occasional
morsel Of apple and q teacup full Of
milk every morning and evening,
! Carmsrthenshire, In; Wales, fur.
nishes = singular story of another al.
legged fasting girl, .name Sarah Jacobs.
A correspondent WHO visited her
wrote: II found the girl lying on
her back in bed 10 the bedroom
which her psrents occupy. Tho OF.
game Of self.esteem aud 6rmness at
fally developed, indicating much
mental susceptibility and eeiebral %.
tivity. She has not thu. power o.
moving her body. Tho lett si1s I,
quito paraly sed, but sbe can use th(
right hand : little, tho skin Of which
red, - If tho blood had congeeted
In tho capillaries. The hand fell
cold and clammy; tho muscles On
shrunk and lacid to tho touch. There
10 no, artsrial action in tho wrists
bat . little in the tenplss. Her fac,
looks fall and oealthy. The brais
seems active. She has fts oevera
time day, lasting three " four min
utee. 6he 10 just twelve years' Old
i heard r1mors % to her exiatiul
without food Of drink, bat could leari
nothing decisive. was told The
che 10y oix weeks IN On unoouDciou'
6t, during which time che ste moth
log. Then ibe called fox milk, au>
sillttls apple occasionally. Her per
ents cay that for seventeen month
Ishe has not eaten any thing ct u
and hAs 10 desire for drink. No evs
castions arc noticed, bat il 10 . qses
ton whether little water 10 no
sometimes passed. Her abdomen /
mot IN . collapsed state, but full, 90,
distended beyond normal propor
tious." a n.f e9a 4sta
Il was learnt, subsequently,, that
younger sister slept With Sarah. Tb
RsvsE. Jones, the Vicar ofthe paris|
believed The statement Of tho sii
} aad her psrens, but tho local news
] papsrs charged him With eredulity an
meatal im6eoility, - he. had 10 faet
I upon which 70 warrant bis belief. III
case excited great interest amonR Oh
general public. A wsll.known 'healsr
Ivlbited tho girl In order to cure. her "b!
laying on Of hsndsw The parents, how
ever, seemed morbidly afraid that thei
child might b injured. He va permit
. ted, however; 70 touch her ocalp, be
eyes and cheeks, but not The other par
Of her body. Tho girl was afterxar'
visited b. Mr. Robert Fowler, 3 msdiea
officer, aud be, after patient examius
ton, declared her csse TO b one Of ''sim
ulativs hystseia,s sad further ssid a.
tabe bsd'ths propensity to deoeive ",
strosgly developed, snd that therewit|
lives associated The power of tery loss
fasting. later on d investigating C,an
mites was appointed to watch tke cav
It being stated on good authority The
} the parents themselves were the Iilupe1
and that tho girl, in collusion With he
4 aster, was perpstratiug on tho public {,
hoax for the purpose Of extortine none,
aud gaining nOtoriety. Tho CommittH'
took turns and Watched day and night
o. tho iifth day tho gin died, and IN
Chest ~ to her living without fool ~
exposed 4 email quantity d dtlutccl
noafishDent kept her alive. :'s't@3.7a
Several years ago 4iss Name,
|IBnsge, = young Woman, a. daplh6