528 
ABSTITSTENCE FROM FOOD. 
plexion, and was as strong' as any common man.” Phil. Trans. 1742, 
vol. xlii. page 240. 
“A very curious instance of nearly two years’ abstinence from all 
food and drink, is related in two numbers of Hufeland’s Practical 
Journal, vol. viii. and ix, No. 2; and a pamphlet has since been pub- 
lished respecting this fact, by Dr. Schmidtmann of Melle, in the 
bishopric of Osnabruck. 
“ A country girl, sixteen years old, in a village near Osnabruck, 
bad enjoyed a good state of health during her childhood, but at about 
ten years of age she was seized with epileptic fits, against which a 
number of remedies were employed. After that time she was mostly 
confined to her bed, particularly in winter; but in summer she found 
herself a little better. From February 1798, the alvine and other 
secretions began to cease, though she took now and then a little nou- 
rishment, but from the beginning of the April, of the same year, she 
abstained entirely from all food and drink, falling into an uninter- 
rupted slumber, almost senseless, from which she only awoke from 
time to time for a few hours. Her sensibility was during this time so 
great, that the slightest touch on any part of the body brought on 
partial convulsive motions. In this state she had continued for 
nearly ten mouths, when Dr. Schmidtmann saw her first, in March 
1799. Though she had not taken the least nourishment during all 
this time. Dr. S. found her, to his utmost astonishment, fresh and 
blooming. For the last two months only, the intervals of sleep began 
to be longer ; her senses of sight and hearing were in perfect order, 
but her feeling she seemed to have quite lost, as she could suffer 
pinching of the arms and legs without pain ; her gums bled frequently, 
and the pulse was scarcely perceptible in the arms, but beat strong 
and full in the carotids, about one hundred and twenty in a minute. 
Dr. S. attempted to make her drink a little milk, but she protested 
she could not swallow it. The common excretions had quite 
ceased at this time. 
“ Although there could hardly be a suspicion of any kind of impo- 
sition, the parents being honest people, yet, to remove all doubt, 
six sworn men were appointed from different places in the neighbour- 
hood, to watch her day and night, and instructions given to them 
accordingly. This being continued for a fortnight, tlie men were dis- 
missed, having given evidence upon oath, that the patient had never 
taken any food or drink whatever during that time, nor had she had 
any excretion. She had been once very ill, and nearly dying, seized 
with convulsions, feverish fits, and sometimes in a great sw'eat, which 
had the extraordinary property of turning water black. When Dr. S. 
saw her again, he found her quite recovered, not in the least emaci- 
ated, but rather looking lustier ; her gums, however, still frequently 
bled, and her feeling was not yet returned ; but her memory was not 
impaired, and she amused herself sometimes with reading and writing. 
No excretion had ta:ken place. Sometimes she was attacked by a 
sudden weakness, particularly after having bled from the mouth. 
During the last severe winter, she could not endure the heat of the 
stove, because she felt’then faint and oppressed.” 
Dr. Schmidtmann then enters into an ^inquiry by what means 
