The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-14
YEAR WITHOUT FOOD.
Remarkable Fasting of Mrs. Ingram
of Battle Creek.


A wonderful case of fasting exists In
Battle Creek, Mich. Mrs, Henry Ingram
has not tasted of food since Feb 1s. On
that day she weighed 2l0 pounds. She
now is reduced to 100 pounds. This Is not
Mrs Ingram's first fast. On former oc-
casion she went 362 days without food.
Her case has baffled all the physicians in
the city, and no less than 13 specialists
from other cities have utterly failed to
comprehend It. Her story is as follows:
On Oct. H. 1880, Mrs Ingram visited q
dentist and had wisdom tooth drawn.
As she stepped from the chair she fell to
the floor fainting She was placed on q
couch and given a glass of water, but in
stead of relieving her the water Increased
her agony and caused violent vomiting
After several hours Intellectual work by
physicians to overcome the involuntary
vomiting she was taken To her home in a
carriage and placed I'm bod Six years
elapsed before Mrs Ingram could walk
For 362 days she did not partake Of n par.
ticle of food, and only at long intervals
would she swallow mouthful of water.
The water, after remaining in her stom.
ach for a short time, would be thrown up,
its temperature unchanged. During tha
cublIt oOS utlfS sic HOb Ollly Il1u utSlIc
for food, but the smell of food or even the
thought of eating would produce vomiting
There was always sense Of fullness In her
stomach, as IL she had just eaten hearty
dinner No nourishmet of any kind was
taken except what may have been i'm the
medicine which was occasionally admins.
tered by hypodormic injections into her
limbs.
A
sixty second day If she had soinc strawber.
rics she might cat thcm. IL was in Octo-
Der, and out of the berry season, but few
choice canned oncs were given her, which
she ate with great relish.
Physicians and specialists who visited
her during ner first period Of fasting differ
ed as to tho causes producing her condition.
The majority of them were of the opinion
that It was produced by paralysis OF the
stomach and bowels.
Mrs. Ingram's present sickness or trou-
bic camo upon her as suddenly as did the
first attack. She was at her homo Feb. is,
feeling perfectly well, when q sudden faint.
ness ovcrcamo her. She was placed in an
easy chcir, and DR.. Duggan summoned II
once A feeling Of nausea followed. Then
camc vomiting, rctching and sharp pains
in the head, Her present case is an exact
repetition Of the ono Of 10 yc2ls ago. She
never Is without u severe pain IN some por-
tion of her body. She has lately had her
hcad packed in leo for ten days on account
OF tho oxcruciating pains.
Mrs Ingram has boon robust, portly
woman, of strong intellectual powers, and
believing That her mind can assist her
greatly in performing IA cure has at times
tried To think OF something palat1blc, some
sweet morscl that shc remembered years
ago, in tho hope that "a desire might bu
created for food, but this limo OF thought
nearly always ends il a distressing spasni
of vomiting. a great many persons call to
see her every day, and her many friends
aud relatives aro especially kind 70 her.
she has u brother ard sister living. Her
husband conducts al express cEd baggage
business
Mrs. Ingram s ;nGidcn name was Nelly
Dunn. She was born 90 years nco near
Toronto. She was married 60 Henry In.
gram 80 yaGrs ago june 10. They have
had four children, three boys ana ono girl
None Of Mrs. InsTaTl's brothers, sisters or
other relatives has had any such expert.
eDcc as she il now undergoing. Tho fam.
lily hayo all bccn exceptionally we'll ard
strong HCr .athc- died at the age OF "a
years and was never sick but four davs.
One would not believe, 20 lool. at Mrs In.
gram now in her bed, that tnc could have
been confined there for four inontl,a New
York Herald.