Year: 1879




Special to Cincinnati Enquirerl


READING, Pa, August 5. The
strange fasting of Miss Sarah Root,
age twenty-eight, of this city, is at
tracing unusual attention, not only
among the medical fraternity. She is
a tall young lady, with dark hair and
dark eyes, and of excellent character.
A few years ago Miss Root was an
acknowledged belle. She dressed in
exceeding good taste and always made
a very fashionable appearance. Sud
denly she became very devout and
pious. Her attendance at Rev. DR..
Schowacken's st. James Lutheran
congregation was almost constant.
She became deeply interested in Sun
day-school affairs, and up to last
Fourth Of July was in good health.
She then discontinued eating and
commenced a long period of fasting
From July 4th to the 11th she ate but
a few times. Then she stopped eat
ing altogether.


On the 14th Of July DR.. T. r.
Schmucker was called in. Miss Root
turned her back and said she was not
in need of his professional attention
She persistently refused to take any
nourlshment, and throughout all the
hot spell she drank no water. 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 eye, and she
became moody, thoughtful and silent
She became frightened at the doctor,
threat, and taking an ordinary cracker
she held it under the hydrant anC
thoroughly washed it. On the 18th O
July she ate that cracker, but took nc
other nourishment.


DR.. Schmucker undertook to con
vince her that it was her religion,
duty to eat, and not kill herself; thai
instead of it being her religious duty
to fast, she was slowly committing th(
great crime of suicide. She paid NJ
attention to this. Basin after BASH
of water was used in bathing he
hands. First she filled a basin O
pure water and washed her hands
then she would empty it, get another
basinful and again wash her hands
She would continue this washing fol
a half hour.


She has been known to have spent
five hours on her knees reading the
Bible and praying. She had dream
to fast forty days and forty nights
the same as Christ did in the wilder
ness" she said.


All the efforts of her mother and
sister failed to induce her to eat and
drink. Finally, DR.. Schmucker 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. 1t was finally resolved
to resort to force in the matter, and o
spoon was inserted in her mouth be-
tween her teeth. Nothing could be
done, 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 gullet, and
thence to the stomach. Only a small
quantity was inserted. The membra.
nous lining Of the stomach was greatly
inhamed, and too much food admins
tered would have killed her instantly


The young woman is now being KEEP
alive by forcing food through her nos
trils into her stomach. She is labor.
ing under a religious hallucination
and fears are entertained that she
cannot live long. She is said to be
quite intelligent, and she has no fears
saying that she glesses it will end al
right. To-day she made no resistance
to the tube being inserted in her nose
but she positively refused to take any
food or water.