The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-09-14
A WONDERFUL FAST.
A Woman who has Eaten Nothing
for Eighteen Months.
CEN'T BEAR THE SGRT OF FOOD
And water--.They Cause Her Intense
sunering..-A Terrible Life of star
walton ..-- convulsIons Rack Her
Frame.--A Strange Story of an I'M
fortunate Woman.

ALLENTOWN, Sept. 1S.-Mrs. Adam
Whether, of Whitehall, who was known
for 2Ss days as the fasting woman, was
called upon by reporter yesterday.
She was found on the second floor OF
tho house, which she says she has not
left for over year and half. On
March 8, 1890, sho took to her bed, be-
ing then in an exhausted condition,
having existed for several months pre-
ously on very little food, taken mostly
in liquid form.
She grew worse from day to day, un-
til her left side became paralyzed, and
she almost completely lost her sight.
Fearful convulsions racked her frame,
and fifteen minutes at a time was the
longest period OF sleep she was able to
obtain. Blood flowed from her eyes
and mouth, and the pain in her head
and stomach was almost unbearable.
Whenever food or even water was
brought near her it would make her
very sick. and conyulsion would in
yariably follow.
NO FRAUD IN IT.
Leading physicians from all over the
country visited the woman, most of
whom declared the case one Of fraud,
and said she was shamming. Her fam
lily physician, Dr. Sieger, OF Siegfrids
Bridge, said the fast was genuine, offer
ing to stake his reputation on his de-
cision, and he rendered the privilege to
any person or number of persons to
watch tho bedside, day and night, and
sec. whether Mrs. Wuchter partook OF
any food. No one accepted the propo-
sition, and so the case gradually be-
came lost to the public
Judging from the appearance OF Mrs.
Wuchter to-day, she Is very little better
than when it was reported that she had
begun to take food, December is, last.
She has terrible cough, and though
she had no commissions while the report
er was present, the attendants say she
has them every day from one to a hall
dozen times. Her left side. is still
paralyzed, and the twitching OF the arm
and the sinews of the face have never
ceased since they begun.
AT first she objected seriously to be
ing interviewed, saying that she had
suffered enough already through the
newspapers, and wished the relief from
the gossip OF months past to be left UNI
broken. She speaks little above
whisper, and what food she takes con-
sists of small pieces Oh toast and soda
h;ao,,iE Eha cannot drink
SHE CAN SCARCELY SWALLOW.
Most of the liquid which is put into
her mouth runs out again, and very few
drops enter the stomach. She declares
positively that she cannot swallow, and
any attempt to do SO gives her pain.
She says she has not lost faith in her
God for moment, ana though she has
been terrible sufferer, she believes it
is for the best.
Her husband remained with her Of
most day and night for more than a
wear, but now manages to do an occa-
sional days work. He was not at home
to-day, the mother being in the care OF
q daughter, now sixteen years OF age.
E DR.. Sieger visits the woman regularly,
and says the case is as mysterious to-
day as it was year and more ago. He
has given positive instructions that no
one shall be allowed to see her, and
whenever the husband leaves the house
his orders are as positive as the doc
tors, that no one shall be admitted.
How long the woman may live Is
merely a matter of conjecture. 1t may
be a year or only q few weeks. She
may live until every particle of strength
is gone, or she may die during con-
yulsion.