The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-08-28
FASTING EORTY DAYS.

by the hand Of an assassin. -. 81
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! FAsTIrG FORTXs DAYS. ~
"A Yeumg Woman In Heeadfng CIV
inE Her f5.sss sssss { goesis sershis q
special Dispatch 10 the Chicago Tribune
PH1LADEIrH1A, Aug. ga Readinl
special to the Times says the strane
fasting Of Miss Sarah Root, aged %
Fof that city, ,-is' attracting unusual 1t
/ tention among the medical Fraternity
She is q lady Of sexcelIent, character
Herself aud sisters, are respeetabl,
dressmskers. VA few years ago shs
dressed in exceeding good tasts, ant
always made . very fashio ionable ap
pearance. Suddenly she becaMecvery
tdeveut and pious. Her attendance u
church was aim oss'constAnts She he.
tcame deeply interested 10 Sdndsy-
school affairs, and, up, to last; 4th Oi
July, was in good health.a She then
discontinued eating, and commenced
q long period Of fastiqge Erom July
4 to IL she ate but 2 afewbsfriss. Then
/ f. =
she stopped eating altogethersi Ca
the 18th of July DR.. Schmueker waz
called on. Miss Root turned her back
and said she was not in need of his
professional services.o o She persist epts
lly refnssd to take nSdffshm eui,, and,
throughout all the hot spell, she drank
no water at all. FINALLY sue wal
threatened that fo6d wwoui1 bs ssGifnia..
istered to her. by force She wss
growing Pale, thin, and 5emaeiated.
Her former rosy cheeks had afadeds
the sparkle had left her eyes, and she
became moody. thoughtful, and silenss
She became frightened 4 the Doctors
threats, and taking an ordipary crack
er. she held it under the hydrant and
thoroughly washed it. On the 18th
Of Jolly che atsl that cracker, bat took
no other nontishment. Dr. 'Schmuck-l
sr' undertook to conYinee her ithat IL
was her religious duty 20 eat and not
kill herself Chat, Instead Of Il being
herreligious duty to fast, she was slow
~ committing the great ,crims nj suia
eide. She paid no attentienlto thiGs b.
sin after basin of water waa znssd in
her hands. She would continue
this washing for half-hour. She has
been known to have spent, five hours
on her knees reading the Bible. and
She '.hsd q dream" to fast
forty days and forty nights, thu same
IS Christ did in the wilderness. All.
e6orts of mother and sister failed to
induce her to eat and drink. Finally
Dr.. 6chmucker 'says he stopped call.
ing on her because he could do moth
ngi for her. DIR. Mastin Luther was
next called in. Miss Root was very
weak, butistilli sblesto be about. She
5ersistently refused to eat Or dfiak,
Indsher people thought she was 1dy-I
ny. Itlwas finally resolved to resort
%, force in the matter: and q spoon
vas inserted dns her 4fiouth hbetween
Ter teeth Nothing could be done,
she would not swallow. When
Ter 'nostrilswe held shut she bfesth.e
ID through theiatersticesi of her teeth,
nut wo1ldsnot swallow. esFinaHy DIR.
luther inserteda q sflvor tubeg through t
Ter nostrils and injected Cruel and I
milk into the gollst, and thence to the
tomaoha Onlyca smalH qaantfty wass
injected. The membranous lining lo1e
be stomach. was greatly infiamed ahd
90 mach, food administereds would
ave killed her Instantly, The young
voman is now being kept alive by
orcing food through her HQstrilsiinto.
ler stomach. She is labefin& nader .
eligious hallqcination. and ,fesrs are
that she cannot long live.
;he is quite intelligent and she has
10 fears, saying that she "guesses it:F
Vill end all right To-day she made
10 resistance to tho tube being insert.
d in her mise, bnt she positively re-.
used to lake any food OF water.
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