Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-29
GLOBE FRIDAY MORNING. AUGUST 49, 1879
FAs ING FORTY DAYS.
n Young WOnlnn In Reading CITING III
Friends Considerable Trouble.

n Young Wonann In Reading Girtng Her
Friends Considerable Trouble.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. ga Reading spe-
cialto the Times says the strange fasting of
Miss Sarah Root, aged %, of that city, is
attracting unusual attention among the med
ical fraternity. She is lady of excellent
character. Herself and sisters are respected
dressmakers. A few years ago she dressed
in exceeding good taste, and always made q
very fashionable appearance. Suddenly sue
became very devout aud pious. Her attend
ance at church was almost constant. She
became deeply interested in Sunday school
affairs, and, up to last 18th of July,wa in good
health. She then discontinued eating, and
commenced long period of fasting. From
July to IL she ate but few berries. Then
she stopped eating altogether. On the l4th
of July DIR. Schumacher was called on.
Miss Root turned her back, and said she
was not in need of his professional services.
She persistently refused to take nourish-
ment, and, throughout all the hot spell, she
drank no water at all. Finally she was
threatened that food would be administered
to her by force. She was growing pale,
thin and emaciated. Her former rosy cheeks
had faded, the sparkle had left her eyes, and
she became moody, thoughtful and silent.
ouo OtCdIu0 lTlSutG1l0u III Iuo uOClOE tuTcdlS,
and, taking an ordinary cracker, she held it
under the hydrant and thoroughly washek
it. On the 18th of July she ate that cracked,
but took no other nourishment. DR.. Schmucr-
er undertook to convince her that it was her
religious duty to eat, and not kill herself;
that. instead of it being her religious
duty to fast, she was slowly committing the
great crime of suicide. She paid no atten-
ton to this. Basin after basin of water was
used in bathing her hands. She would con-
tinue this washing for half hour. She has
been known to have spent five hours on her
knees reading the bible and praying. She
chad dream'' to fast forty days and forty
nights, the same as Chris. did in the wilder
ness All efforts of mother and sister failed
to induce her to eat and drink. Finally DR..
Schumacher says he stopped calling on her
because he could do nothing for her. DR..
Martin Luther was next called in. Miss
Root was very weak. but still able to be about.
She persistently refused to eat or drink, and
her people thought she was dying. It was
finally resolved to resort to force in the
matter, and spoon was inserted in her
mouth between her teeth. Nothing could
be dole, because she would not
swallow. When her nostrils were held shut
she breathed through the interstices of her
teeth, but would not swallow. Finally DR..
Luther inserted a silver tube through her
nostrils and injected cruel and milk into the
gu,let, and thence to the stomach. Only
small quantity was injected. The mem
branous lining of the stomach was greatly
and too much food administered
would have killed her instantly. The young
woman is now being kept alive by forcing
food through her nostrils into her stomach.
She is laboring under a religious hallucina-
ton, and fears are ent rtained that she can
not live. She is quite intelligent, and she
has no fears, saying that she 'guesses it will
end all right" To-day she made no resist
ance to the tube being inserted in her nose,
but she positively refused to take any food
or water.