Grant describes the "Market Harborough fasting-girl," a maiden of
nineteen, who abstained from food from April, 1874, until
December, 1877, although continually using morphia. Throughout
her fast she had periodic convulsions, and voided no urine or
feces for twelve months before her death. There was a middle-aged
woman in England in 1860 who for two years lived on opium, gin,
and water. Her chief symptoms were almost daily sickness and
epileptic fits three times a week. She was absolutely
constipated, and at her death her abdomen was so distended as to
present the appearance of ascites. After death, the distention of
the abdomen was found to be due to a coating of fat, four inches
thick, in the parietes. There was no obstruction to the
intestinal canal and no fecal or other accumulation within it.
Christina Marshall, a girl of fourteen, went fifteen and one-half
months without taking solid nourishment. She slept very little,
seldom spoke, but occasionally asked the time of day. She took
sweets and water, with beef tea at intervals, and occasionally a
small piece of orange. She died April 18, 1882, after having been
confined to her bed for a long while.
King, a surgeon, U.S.A., gives an account of the deprivation of a
squad of cavalry numbering 40.
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