Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-19
A FASTING WOMAN.
Physicians Baffled by the Peculiar
Case of Mrs. Wuchter, Who Has
NOT TASTED FOOD FOR 1O7 DAYS
The Knights Of Labor at Scottdale REFLECT
Master Workman Kerfoot.
A STRIKE DECLARED AT AN END

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsPArcH.i
WILKEsBARRE, July 1s.-In the little
village of Whitehall along the Lehigh
Valley Railroad, lies the pale, emaciated
form Of Mrs. Ellen Jane Wuchter, who has
not tasted food since Good Friday, and as she
slowly wastes away there is nothing that friends
can do but sit and wait for the great end Of all.
OnA bed Of suffering, with her head propped
up. lies the miserable, unfortunate woman.
Her sunken cheeks and sallow complexion
give her the appearance of consumptlve. Her
long, dark plated hair lay across her shoulders
close to her white throat forming contrast
that was shocking. A white cloth bound over
her eyes and forehead left one in
cheek was the whittier. The poor woman
was suffering from .epileptic convulsions and
tossed about and beat the bed clothing as
The spasm lasted about two minutes and then
left her as suddenly as it came. She was
rational In an instant. Mr.. Wuchter told the
following sad story:
"My wife will be SO years OIL on next Thanks
giving Day. When married her, lS years ngo;
she was a healthy, robust country giTi anu
weighed l85 pounds. To-day she Is put n1e IN
death and weighs not half SO much. MY Wlle
had severe sickness eight years ago. her
lungs were affected and she lost speech. she
could never since then speak above whisper.
For over a year she has been unable to eat and
has subsisted ON oatmeal and similar food.
which she had to drink. Seventeen months
ago she became bedridden and has not tasted
bread or meat in all that time. She
continued to take food in liquid form
up to last Good Friday, when she began
to shrink from it as il 1t were poison. Ten
weeks from Saturday she tasted coffee. That
was the last time. She will not now even allow
water to touch her lips. much less any kind OF
medicine. For over nine months every en-
deavor to give her medical relief has proven
futile. She will, however, nibble potatoes and
peanuts. Yesterday morning. for instance, a
boiled potato was given her and she bit into 1t,
but spit 1t out. She also munched several pea
nuts, cracking them open and biting them in
half and then splitting them out. This she does
frequently. But it is the only food that ever
passes her lips"
Mr.. Wuchter says he can't see much of
change in her condition. She is undoubtedly
growing weaker, but her fast is not telling on
her face and voice in manner noticeable to
her family. Besides her husband, she has three
children, Sarah j., aged Is years; Harvey A.,
aged Is, who is now their only support, as MIR.
Wuchter has not been able for a year to leave
his wifes side, and Aaron 9 years old. Mrs.
Wuchters parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Aaron Nolf,
reside only mile from Whitehall and visit
their daughter daily. Mrs. Wuchter is well
known throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Mrs. Wuchter's case is attracting the atten-
tion of celebrated physicians DR.. Sieger, Of
Siegfried Bridge, the attending physician, says
the case is one of cancer of the pharynx. The
fast has continued for 107 days, and the end
must soon come. The woman is nearly blind,
blood oozes from her ears, nose, eyes and
mouth, great beads of perspiration stand out
upon her body continually, and her case is
truly pitiful.