\ ARMED FORCES MEDICAL LIBRARY Washington, D. C. 5.v- «"*ra AN ACCOUNT O F T H E • V EXTRAORDINARY ABSTINENCE OF ANN MOOR, OF TUTBVRY, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND. WHO HAS FOR More than three years, lived entirely without food; GIVING The Particulars of her Life to the prefsnt tims9 * AN ACCOUNT OF THE INVESTIGATION INSTITUTED ON THE OCCASfON, AND Obfcrvations on the Letters of fome Medical V Mtn who attended it. • •'....................... fv •• Third American from the second London Edition. HUNTED AT SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, by THOMAS DICKMAN; 1811. IV kis lujpicions. Her roillingnejs to fubmit to every thing that he propofed,and even confenting to be removed from * her own houfe to another, which was procured (in order' < the more cjfeclually to carry on the invejligationj were circumftances much in her favour. So very flritt was he, that hefujfered no perfon of her acquaintance to come near her, and during the watch tuhich continued for fix- teen days and nights (of which IJhall hereajter give an account) no perfon was allowed to attend, but fuch as dif- credited the jact; and by this means it was more in his power to convince the public of her innocence, which at that time very few even in the fame town would believe. ; but Jinee the inveftigation there isfcarcely one person in or near Tutbury, but is well affured oj the truth of the woman's ajfertion. This is not thejirft injlance of the kind that has taken place within this lajl century, the cir-, cumflances which may tend to convince many -who at this^ time dijbelieve the prefent cafe ; as prejudice is generatty jlronger againjl an unprecedented occurrence, than where jomething ofajimilur nature has beforebeen heard of. Thus itffiows, how wonder Jul are the various fources of nature: with what wifdom has the Almighty planned, man's mortal fyjlem!—It is beyond our comprekenfion to difcover precifely the means by which life has been main- tained info extraordinary a manner. There is vajl room d for speculation on this point; but the more we fear ch into j it. the more we are loft in amazement. I Air ACCOUNT OF ANN MOOR. ANN MOOR, the fubject of the following pages, was born in 1761, at Roflenton in Der- byfliire j her parents, though poor, were induf- trious ; and her father, whofe name was Pegg, worked as a labouring man ; her mother is ftill living. t—-%he was married at the age of 27, to James Mow, a labouring man, and the natural fon of * ad>man by the name of Laikin : owing to thif circumftancc, fome ambiguity has been oc- ean" ned with refpect to her name. but«fiie is gen rally known by the name of Moor. She is tfe mother of two children, a girl and a boy, thejirl is with her mother, and goes to fchool at Tbtbury. Mis. Moor appears to have had a tolerable education for a woman is h«r fphere in life, and 6 poifeiles great flrcngth of mind; we has a much larger flock ot ideas than is often found even with people who have had the advantage of a fuperior education. All the former part of her life flic lived out at fervice in different places about the neighbourhood of her native village, and for fome time previous to her ftate of abftinence, was chiefly employed (with moil of the poor inhabitants of Tutbury) in beating out cotton. It feems that ihe never poflefled any real religious principles, before ihe was af tacked with this extraordinary affliction j bi which, happily for he*, has brought her to* ftate of true repentance. She confefies U*^ ihe has once through impofition paffed for a reUgious perfon, merely for the fake of world- ly intcreft, under the maJk of hypocrify ; but her •iaiar«l idifpofition tended fo much to evil, flie was Enable to conceal the deceit from the eyes of a religious perfon, with whom ihe had formed acquaintance. It is very probable that the knowledge of thefe circumftances tended more to influence, her neighbours againft her on the prefent occalion, than any other reafcm.1— Her prefent ftate of mind is of fuch calnncfs and ferenity, and her doctrinal knowledge fo clear and unimpeachable, that it is highly pleaf- ing to every lover of religion to converfe with • her. Her account of the manne* in which five was brought to a true fenfe of her fituation, is very artleis, the particulars of which ihe related to me as follows : During her. illnefs, a man who was Rear neighbour to her, died in a very fin- gular and fudderf manner; having a few days Erevious to his death, foretold that it would appen on a certain day. On the morning of the day on which he faid he ihould die, he ap- peared to be as well in health as he ever was in his life, being naturally of a ftrong and ro- buft.conftitution : however on the fame even- ing he died, and his corpie exhibited fuch a \ dreadful fpectacle, as to give reafon for fufpi- cion that he had poifoned himfelf ; but wheth- er he did or not, has never been afcertained. Ihe being acquainted with the man, and hav- i\g feen him but a very ihort time before, the >jiws of his death affected her in fuch a man- ner as to bring on a happy train of reflections, which through the afliftance of the Almighty brought her to fuch a knowledge of himfelr, as to fet before her eyes the dreadful ftate ihe was in. Ever fince that time ihe has uniformly and invariably maintained a humblenefs and meek- nefs of behaviour, conftantly praying for the mediation of her Saviour, in whom ftie places her fole confidence. Several remarkable ex- ***pr^5ons, which have fallen from her lips dur- ing he courfe of converfation with different pco le are well worthy of notice, and tend xnu 1 to mow the pious ftate of her heart :—at one ime ihe exprcfled * fear, leaft people ihould con der the wonder that was wrought upon her, to be a mark of peculiar fanctity, while flielerfelf knew it to be rather a judgment for her Ins. Being told by a person that he hop- ed fie would foon triumph over the prejudi- ces d[ the public, by the moft unqueftionable ' * evidences of her innocence; fliem faid, that that was what fhc prayed againft night and ^ day, as ihe was fearful of her own ftrength, and apprehended that Satan might fill her up with higher notions of herself, after people were reconciled to her, and that for her dwn part, (he could have been content to have left them in their unbelief, and have carried the truth locked up in her own breaft to the grave ", but ihe thought it her duty to give all the fat1 :isfaction required of her: At another time fie . faid, ihe cordially forgave the moft violent q>- pofers of the fact, and acknowledged that th-ir angry «xpre{fionsagainil her, were well mei£-_ ed by her former mifconduct. , • She has till lately received a fmall* allowance from her parifh, or what her hufband (who is reprefented to be a man of bad character, with whom ihe has not lived for a coniiderabfe time) is forced to allow her : but lincethe trutK of her prefent ftate has been eftablifhed, (he has been very comfortable, and every .attend-- ance neeeflary procured her. The number of people who go to fee her is aftoniihing, an (*£▼£="" ry one give her a trifle for the benefit dfker children, ihe has by this time received rome- . thing very handfome for them. She is at her above the common fize, and from her appear- ance hasT)een a handfome woman in her yjung- er days. She is naturally of a eheerfui and talkative dispofition. It eannot be expected that any thing more than what is common can- have occurred to a woman in her fixation of 9 life. I {halr'therefore proceed now to ftate eve- ry particular concerning her fafting, &c, » Her health, ihe feys, has been declining grad- • ually for many years, and flie thinks that fh© has not been an hour free from pain for nixie or ten years previous to her firft lofs of appetite. The caufe which fhe affigns for it (and it appears to be the moil rational fuppofition that can be brought forward) is, warning out fome linen, and attending a perfon of the name of Samuel Orange, "who was afflicted with fcorfulous ul- cers, of which he died on the 30th of October 1806.* The extreme offenfivenefs of thefmell " * This is not unphilofophical ; for what can be more probablej than the ftomach taking difeafe after receiving into it the obnoxious vapours from the linen, &c. ? and ' thus in prdcefs of time, by deftroying the nervous irrita- bility oi the ftomach, of courfe, the entirely loft her ap- petite. Hunger oi itfelf if not fatisfied, will in time de- ftroy the body, and it is partly owing to thefcannihilation ot this fenfe that life ftill exifts ; otherwife it would act as a ftrong ftimulus, and foon deftroy it. It is not impoflible but that, the imagination of her k' ftonidch being difeafed might effea the nervous irrita- bility thereof, and in time even caufe it* deftru thorn' ■ Effecla equally wonderful have been*produced by the power ot the imagination, anecdotes of which 1 will relate. . _ A lady oi my acquaintance had a particular averlion to cheefe ; her hufband, through joke, one day during kerabfence from table, mixed a fmall quantity amongit ' fome Coup, in fuch a manner that fhe could not perceive . it; fhe having no fufpicion of the matter, ate it and was " pe'rfeclly well lor more than two hours after, when her ' hufband thinking to enjoy the joke and indulge himfelt * with a laugh again ft her, began to infoTm her ot the trick he had played upon her : no fooner was fhe acquainted with the circumftance, than the difgufting ideas which 10 was fuch, that no person would come near it, nor could any one elfe befidei Mrs. Moor be pre- vailed upon to attend him. He continued eight months in that fituation, during that time flic conftantly waited upon him, and towards the latter end of the time the fcent was so extreme- ly obnoxious, that fhe was fcarcely able to en- fhe in imagination had attached to cheefe, recurred with fuch force, and had fuch an effe6f, that her ftomach im- mediately reje&ed its contents, and made her fo extreme- ly ill, that apprehenfions were for fome time entertained it would prove fatal. It is very evident that this was entirely the eflfefl of imagination. Had (he never been told of the cheefe, (he would never have experienced the flighteit incoiT*"" venience from eating it. The following, although it may not bear any relation to the cafe in queftion, yet it tends to prove ftill further the aftonifhing effects ima- gination is capable of producing. A ftudent at a diHenting academy, who was fubjeft to dreams, went to bed one night a little fooner than his companion, who flept with him. On his bedfellows entering the room, he difcovered that the young man was talking in his fleep, and from curiofity attentively hftened to what he was faying, and foon found from what he heard, that he dreampt he was under trial it*ira very heavy crime. He continued to liften, and at lengtrT irom fome words that were fpoken, he could underftand that his companion was sentenced to be hanged. He then remained filent, and a fhort time afterward raifing his hands out of bed he made the fame motion with them as if he had been climbing a ladder, and when fas he fuppofedj he was got up to the top, ftanding up on the lcafiold, he made a very affecting fpeech to the peo- ple, and in the molt folemn manner pleaded his inno cence Having finifhed his Ipcech, he ftarted up with a violent ftruggle, and inftantly expired. His weepine companion m vain attempted to awake him. Alas h the Urong power of his imagination had fo worked upon bis mind, as to caufe immediate death. II dure it. On the 4th of November 1806, flie was neceffitated to give up her work, at which time fhe had loft all defire of food, as well as her abil- ity to take it. The amount of folid food which fhe took from that time until March, did not exceed half an ounce in a day ; her drink was ufually tea, but without milk or cream. What- ever flie took brought to her imagination the difgufting fmell of corruption, that fhe thought had difordered her ftomach. The fcent which fhe had been accuftomed to bear while attend- ing on the young man, often. recurred in her ideas, and had fuch an effect as to occafion her "*fo vomit up a kind of flimy matter, refcmbling both in fcent and appearance, the running from the ulcers. In March 1807, flie was frequent- ly afflicted with hyfteric fits, which generally occafioned the cramp at her ftomach on their leaving her, to remedy which ihe drank boiling hot* gruel, which, though it fcaldcd her lips and mouth, flie felt no pain arifing from it in her ftomach, or any difagreeable effects; any -thing of lefs heat occafioned a fenfe of coldnefs, and diffufed a chillnefs all over the body. • The above ftateraents will be found to agree exact- ly with the account given by Mr. Taylor, in the Medi- cal Journal of November 1808 ; which from the corrob- orating teftimony of A. Moor,.as well as the young wo- men who attended her, I have no doubt are perfectly correft ; but on perufing Mr. Allen's account, in the Journal of Jan. 1809, I rind that he infinuates, that Mr. T. has exaggerated thele circumftances ; I fhall there- fore for the information of my readers, annex both Mr. T. and Mr. A's accounts at full length, and men- tion a few remarks which occur to me on companfon or the two ftaternents. y - . Roafted potatoes feemed to be the laft thing that retained its proper relifh. She firft took to her bed for a continuance on Eafter Tuefday, April 14, 1807. A few days prior to that- &a_ eat about half a potatoe, in 14 days after this fhe fucked half an orange, and eat a queen cake*, and half; from this time until Wednefday the. 20th of May following, flie took nothing but tea, without cream, and very foon afterwards omitted to ufe fugar or any thing elfe befidea the mere infufion of the herb (and that not ve- ry ftrong) as ihe.found that fugar did not agree with her.' From the beginning of her illnefs fhe has always been troubled with flatulency^- which fttyl continues, and feems to be her prin- cipal ailment. She always feels a fenfe of dif. tention at her ftomach, which at times is so op- preffive as to threaten fuffocation ; but inftant- < ly on difperfion of the wind fhe feels relief. On the 20th of May fhe ventured to fwallow a fmall piece of bifcuit, but it was immediately vomited up again with the moft excruciating pain, ac- j companied with blood* -~^j No perfoc, fhe fays, pofleffed of the leaft hu- \ manity or feeling, could ever defire to fee her eat, were it poflible for them to conceive the ex- treme mifery it gives her. The laft folid food ' which fhe ever took was in the latter end of June'1807, and that only a few black currants ! which were given to her, and which lafted fev- I eral days. On the 3d or 4th of Auguft fhe had \ a ftool in the way of diarrhoea ; and that was the laft inteftinal evacuation fhe ever had. From this time ihe gradually diminifhed in her quaa- *3 tity of liquid, fometimes omitting to take any fior two or three days together. Her evacuations by urine at this time were the fame as any peribn's in health. She once changed her common tea for onion tea, thinking it might perhaps agree better with her, but fhe foon discontinued it, and retook to the former. Her ftrength has gradually decreafed, though her fpirits keep their ufual ftandard, and are fcl. dom affe&ed. She is particularly fufceptible of cold, and perforation is frequently obftructed from the flighted caufes. Her head and left .fide are never free from pain,fo that fhe has no " found fleep night nor day. In this deplorable condition, without fcarce- ly a friend in the world, ihe continued, labour- ing under the greateft diftreffes ; ihe> had not even fufficient clothes to cover her bed, and dur- ing the winter of 1807 fhe had not the leaft fire to warm her room, which muft be extremely cold, the fnow and rain beating through the tiles, &c. The conduct of fcveral medical gentlemen in the neighbourhood, whofe opinions had com- plete fway over the minds of the inhabitants of Tutbury, rendered it a neceffary ad of feif de- fence for her, to wifh for an inveftigation of the fad which fhe afferted. Moft of the medical gentlemen alluded to, had no other reafon for their affections than the conclusions they imme- diately made on feeling her pulfe, which they all maintained vvere too ftrong and natural for a perfon in the fituation fhe pretended to be. Every idle tale was laid hold of, in order if pof- H Able, to confirm her guilt, fuch as her fending to buy jallop, ufing bacon, being overheard at tea, changing the fhop where flie was reported to have bought thefe things, on the meffengcr being interrogated whom they were for, &c. &c. Upon reflection it is furprifing that people fhould have been guided fo far by their prejudi- ces, as to fuffer thefe trifling circumftances, even had they been, true, to operate fo powerfully in their minds, againft the woman, whofe guilt had never betrayed itfelf by a fingle inconfiften- cy of felf-contradi&ien, to the invincible incre- dulity of hundreds of fceptical enquirers ; nor been confuted into detection by the enquiries~~~ and examination ©f the moft refpe&ed medical men. Her piety, however, was the means of ftill preferving her one advocate in the Rev. Mr. Hutchinfon, to whom fhe often expreffed a wifli that fuch an inveftigation might be made as would fatisfy every one beyond a doubt. In confequence of which Mr. H. confented* and Mr.Taylor was engaged to come from Lane- End for that purpofe.. It is faid that on the day of his arrival (which was on Monday the 12th of Sept. 1808) Mrs. Moor's daughter paffed un- der the window of the room where he was, fev- eral times, from which circumftance it was im- mediately fufpe&ed that a timely elopement of the accompUees was about to take place, and * would fave them any further trouble on the oc- cafion, but thefe fufpicions proved to be ground- 1CXS. She was waited upon by Mr. T. the fame *5 evening at her own houfe, where he found two young women, who were fufpecled of being her accomplices. After ufing very fevere lan- guage in order to ftrike them more forcibly, and to let them know he was not to be impofed up- on, her voice appeared affeaedly faint, but her countenance did not fhow the Ieaft figns of con- fufion, her pulfe at that time were about 74 in a minute. Although thefe were circuaiftances rather againft her, there were other arguments which tended to confirm her affertions, viz. the extremely emaciated ftate of her body, and the pleafure which both fhe and the women expreff- "ed in what was about to be done ; alfo the wo- man's willingnefs to fubmit to any thing that vtis thought neceffary for the fatisfaaion of the public. The young women being afked if they would confent to her being removed to another houfe, at firft hefitated, faying that it would be very likely to kill her ; but Mrs. Moor perceiv- ing that people would immediately conftrue this into a confeflion of impofture, cheerfully faid that they might do with her whatever was thought proper, for fhe fhould confider herfelf perfectly fafe under the hands of Mr. T. The young women then expreffed great pleafure, and hoped that they fhould foon be clear of the unfounded charges that were laid againft them, and more efpecially as his condua feemed to be more liberal than many others of his profeflion who had before feen her, and without fearching minutely into the cafe, pronounced their opin- ions againft her, thus leaving her to the viru- lence of 4ier enemies, many of whom, I am in- i6 clined to think, were more fet againft her on ac- < count of her religious principles, than their own incredulity ; which argument I am compelled to ( bring forward on the evidence of their imput- . ing to the woman, a depth of artifice far more improbable than the fimple faa which ihe af- ferts and maintains. On the fame evening Mr. T. went a fecond time by furprife, and over- heard the language of perfon s regaling them- felves in the room : he immediately required to be admitted, which was inftantly complied with. On his enterance, he requefted every perfon to leave the woman : her daughter was in bed . with her ; hewever, fhe covered herself immc-4 diately, and with Hannah Birch (the perfon who was moft conftantly with her) went out into a neighbour's houfe. When Mr. T. was left alone with the woman, he examined the \ room and found a bafon of milk and a f)ice of bread, and likewife faw many crumbs about Mrs. Moor's bed, where Birch had been eating * her fupper. Thefe circumftances operated very powerfully on his mind, and he in the moft folemn and impreflive manner addreffed him- felf to her on the occafion. But the ferenity of her countenance remained unchanged, nor the leaft fign of confufion appeared, and fhe heard him with the moft affecting humiliation and | meeknefs. No account, fabricated or true, [ could eftablifh an evidence againft her greater than that which Mr. T. here witneffed himfelf. And what did that prove ?—nothing, unlefs it was the woman's fimplicity ; fince it very plain- ly fhows that fhe took no pains to prevent fiif- *7 picions, nor any care to confute the prejudicial reports that were fpread againft her. It is well known that, before fhe inveftigation, fhe had abundant opportunities to eat, but that fhe did eat, no individual has been able to affert, on any other ground than his own fuppofition. She'having consented to be removed, Mr. T.. went round the town to procure a number of the moft refpeaable inhabitants for the watch, and he made it his firft principle to expunge thoie who, in his opinion, were in the leaft de- gree liable to be irnpofed upon, or of a difpofi- tion that might be fufpeaed would connive at impofture. He admitted no perfons but fuch as moft vehemently objeaed to the verity of the faa. In fhort, lie himfelf thinking that |he would be found an impoftor, left no means untried that might be of ufe to prove her fuch. Mr. H. Jackfoh having a thorough knowl- edge of the* inhabitants, took upon himfelf the trouble of fetting the watch ; and he being of the moft invincible incredulity, was well qual- ified for the purpofe. When it was known that Mrs. Moor had been under watch for for- ty hours, and was challenging the inveftigation, great numbers of people, merely from curiofity, came to offer their fervice, fo that there was not the leaft difficulty in procuring a fufficient number for the purpofe. The principal care that remained to Mr. Jackfon, was the^ match- ing of the people of different qualifications to- gether, in fuch a manner, as to afford a greater : iecui iiy, and that the watch fhould be conftant- ly and faithfully kept. In order to which, fuch B 2 i8 as man and wife, brother and fifter, &c. were never fuffered to attend at the fame time, nor any perfons that were influenced in her favour.* The watch was generally changed every four hours, and for further fatisfaaion, placards were ftuck up in different parts of the town, announc- . ing, " This is to maintain, that Ann Moor has taken no nourifhment fince Tuefday afternoon at three o'clock, and is truly and conftantly watched. All perfons are hereby challenged to difprove the faa, and may watch for them- felves, during the further period of time that fhall by mecfical confultation be determined to } «ftablifh the fame," On Tuefday the 13th September fhe was r?"' moved to the houfe of Mr. Jackfon, wrho was a moft decided objeaor to the woman's veracity, and who fuffered her to come to his houfe mere- ly that the impofture, as he thought it, might be brought to light, and the woman meet the expofure and punifhment due to her hypocrify. Thus by going there fhe loft, had it been a cheat, the only and laft opportunity of felf-de- fence. Separated from the perfons who had been fufpectcd of aiding her in the impofture ; furrounded on all fides by enemies, and in the ■ houfe of one as much or more fo than any of the reft—what refource had fhe ?—none. An expofition was inevitable, had fhe been an im- poftor.—Nothing but the confcioufnefs of her * As a further fatisfa&ion to the reader, a lift of names of the perfons who attended the watch, is give* »t tbe end of the narrative* l9 own innocence could have urged her to chal- lenge fuch an inveftigation. It was thought by many, that Mrs. Moor would go into fits on her removal, but not the leaft fymptom was difcovered ; fhe bore it much better than could have been expeaed, and ap- peared very cheerful and talkative. The watch began to fit on the afternoon of her removal, at three o'clock; her pulfe at that time were very weak, and about 68 in a min- ute ; her fpirits were alfo a little depreffed. The day after, fhe had a flight fever, which was probably occafioned by taking cold in paff- ing through the open air on her removal ; it caufed her pulfe to be confiderably increafed. Duringthe firft three days of her examination fhe fwallowed about an ounce and a half of wa- ter, but Mr. T. happened to come into the room whilft fhe was fwallowing fome, and obferving ffic. q0kry it gave her, and the violent rifing of the wind refilling its paffage, he diffuaded her from taking any more. She followed his ad- vice, and found every effea for which fhe drank the water, anfwered by wiping her mouth out with a moiftened rag, and has never ventured to fwallow any liquid fince. At the time of the inveftigation fhe ufuaily rendered about a pint of urine in two days, which was of a ftrong of- fenfive fmell. Her pulfe were from 72 to 82 in a general way, but have been at particular times both higher and lower than that number, yet always as ftrong and with as much regularity as people in health. Miaurition took place fometimes towards the latter end of the watch, 20 only once in two or three days or more, and in lefs quantities, giving her confiderable pain. She continued evidently in better health than at the time of her removal, and- has (except now and then) made water and perfpired freely as perfons in health do ; and only for a few in- conveniences, might be faid to be in perfea health herfelf. On Thurfday afternoon, the firft week of.the watch, Mr. Birch, furgeon, at Barton-under- Needwood, vifited her, at which time a very minute examination of her body toojc place, and having fince feen her myfelf, I agree with both that gentleman and Mr. Taylor, in pro- nouncing her form to be the moft wonderful phenomenon ever witneffed. She is~ certainly the moft emaciated creature that ever' exifted, though fhe has lefs of the fades hipocratica* than is common to confumptive patienta^-- There is no appearance of any entraiwSn-^ne abdomen, or lower belly ; all the parts appear to be drawn up and loft under the breaft bone and ribs. The fpine may, without much pain to the woman, be eafily felt by prefling your hand, upon the abdomen. The aorta, or great artery which riies immediately out of the left ventricle of the heart, may be prefled towards the fpine, and by holding the integuments a- crofs it with the thumb and finger, its pulfation and circumference may be eafily perceived. ,* Facies hipocratica is when the noftrils are ftarp the eyes hollow, .the temples low, the tips of the ears eontrafcted the forehead dry and wrinkled, and the com- plexion pale and lived. 21 She meafures round the hips 30 inches, round the loins (without compreflion) 26 inch- es, and over the breaft 28 inches. The watch continued until the 27th of Sept. that day being the 16th which fhe had been conftantly attended day and night. It was now the 14th month of her total abftinence from all food, and the 13th day of her being without even water, and fhe fa,i,d, that fhe felt herfelf ftronger and better than fhe had been for more than a week back, and remained as chatty and cheerful as ever. In the afternoon of Thurs- day the 29th, continuing well, fhe was removed to her former habitation. From this time fhe continued much the fame as fhe had been during the inveftigation, ex- cept a gradual diminution of her ftrength. On a vjfit which I made in March,* this prefent year 180^ I found her in fpirits and health, much as ufual, though hei ftrength was confid- erably diminifhed : fhe has' not power now to move her legs without afiiftance, and all the parts of her body below her hips appear to her as if they were dead.—On raifing herfelf up (which fhe does by the ftrength of her arms) * Since my vifit in March laft fome trifling altera. tions have taken place, which 1 will briefly relate:— She has now (Ju'y l8ooJ no kind of evacuation what- ever, except by infenfible perfpiration ;ifhe cannot with eafeJie down in bed, therefore is always in a reclined pofture ! In my -former pages I have omitted the cir- cumftances of her taking fnufF, in which (he indulges herfelf pretty freely. Her fpirits continue much the fame, and flie is equally talkative and cheerful. 32 thefe parts give her a fenfatton as if fome heavji; fubftance was fattened to her. ^ The quantity of urine had conftderably leff-; ened ; the length of time between the periods of miauration gradually increafed, fo that when I faw her laft, it had not taken place for 16 days; and was then involuntary, and in fuch fmall quantities as fcarcely to be perceived. She had almoft continual gatherings in her head, which fhe thinks' in fome meafure is the caufe of a perpetual head-ach, that fhe is affliaed , with. It is remarkable, that thefe kind of ab- fceffes which form in her head are always pre- jj ceded by fhivering fits, refembling the agv., H from which indication fhe can foretel their ap- proach. She has for fome time paft difcontinued the ufe of moiftened rag, which fhe ufed to wipe her mouth with, as fhe never feels arty occafion for it. Her mouth has always a fufficiency of - faliva to keep it in a proper ftate of moifture, but never fo much as to occafion her to fwal- low. She cannot endure people in the room who i have taken the fmalleft quantity of malt or fpir- ituous liquors ; the fumes of their breath affea -\ her in fuch a manner, as to caufe a giddiness m her head like that felt by a perfon in liquor, ' attended with violent ficknefs and illnefs; yet the fumes of fmoking tobacco do not in the . leaft affea her. Thus it appears, that flie has not taken the 4 leaft particle of folid food fince June 1807, nor any kind of liquids fince Oaober 180S. JJ • I have now given all the particulars that are worthy of notice, from the beginning to the prefent period of her exiftence. Such an ex- traordinary inftance has never been before ef- tablifhed with proofs fo undeniable. This is a living faa, which continues to excite the great- eft curiofity. To account for the means by which the ani- mal funaions are carried on in this woman, is a talk which almoft fets phyfiology;-at defiance. All the opinions that can be brought forward concerning it, are but conjeaural : the follow- ing probably may be as rational as any that have been yet adduced. From the extremely ema. ciated ftate of her body, and the length of time fhe has been without any kind of aliment, it is itimpoflible that fhe can have any internal fource psfrom whence a fupply of the neceffary juices oican be obtained. Air feems to be the means by oiwhich life is ftill maintained, as fhe cannot en- sure without a frefh current of it continually iadmitted into her room, for which purpofe the chamber window is always open, even in the Icoldeft weather. p It is well known, that the atmofphere is not fcfta- ftmple fubftance, but compofed of different principles which may be analyzed. not," Chymifts have afcertained that hydrogen is «fhe bafis of animal fat (or rather oil, while the ill >ody is living, as its caloric or heat preferves it n a ftate of fluidity.) Therefore when we con- sider the quantity of hydrogen that abounds in BB he atmofphere, as well as the large portion con- 24 tained in water* is it not probable that the wo- man (by fome procefs of the animal economy, ■produced by means of hydrogen) collects from the decompofition of both, a fufficient quantity of animal oil to preferve the body in exiftence ? ' * Water is compofed of 85 parts' of oxygen and 15 ot hydrogen—Atmofpheric an is compoled of 27 parts of oxygen and 78 of azote. Names of the Perfons who compofed the Watch. Mr. T. Allen, Elizabeth Tipper, Miss Davenport. Mr.T.j Woedrcffe, — H. Jackson, Susanna Smith, Miss H. Butler, Mr. C. Allen, Miss M. Tabberer, Mr. J. Jackson jun. — Bar. ker. Miss M Cox, Mr. W. Greatorex, Ann Yates, Mr. J. Jackson.Sen.Mrs. A. Jackson, Mrs. Dods>»orih,Mr. T. Greg. torex, Hanr.ah Gascoin, Mr. Roboihara, Ann Dorraan, Mr. H. Allen, Mis« M. Ja.kson, Mr. Swan, Sen Mips. M. Two. goad, Mr. R. Hanson, Sen. Mrs. R. Twogood, Mr. G. Han- son, John Gascoin, Mrs. Greatorex, Mr. Prat, Sarah Coatei;. Mr. Hitchcock, — R. Smith, Hannah Greatorex, Miss S. \ Gox, Mr. S. Higgin, — W. Swan, Mrs. Pratt, Samuel Robin- son, Sarah Ford, Mr. H. Swan. jun. Eliz. Leedham, Mr. 1 Wetton, Mrs. Arthur*. Mr. W. Hanson, Miss. R. Cox, Fr„n, | Stretion, Jane Mottam, Mr. T. Arthurs, Miss M. Lort, Mr.' C. Dodsworth, Mrs. Manin, Mr. Jackson, — S. Jackson, —• Eason, — R. Hanson, jr. Sarah Wright, Mr. Cockran, Joha Ford, Miss E. Knowles, Mrs. Eraery, Joseph Madkin, Mr,: R. Emery, Mrs. Chamberlain, Mr. Emery, Hannah Wain, Mr. Ed. Kilburn, Ann Owen, James Tipper. Ann Clarke,. Tms. Tipper, Mr. Lort. Mrs. Wooley, Mr. W. Holbrook,) Mrs. Archer, — Haichett, Tms. Scolton, Mr. Eley, Mm Moor, Mrs. Cooper, Francis Ledham, Mary Mingan, Miss E. Buder, Mr. Lee?, Mis» L^ngley, Wra. Allen, Mary Beeson, James Pratt, Mrs. Sherratt, Dan. Greatorex, Eliz. Scollop Tms. Salt, Sarah Salt, Anthony Buxton, Sarah Coates, Joh« Wain, John Cooper, Mary Swain, Mr. J. Wooley, Mrt, Jackson, Mr. J. Holbrook, Mrs. Hitchcock, Mr. J. Higgin, 25 Miss Knifton, John Stoneslreet, William Yates, Miss E. $€b. mons, Mr. Shipton, Mrs. Slalham, Janes Hall, Mary Taylor, Tms. Hanson, Peter Bawn, El zibeth Tipp, Emma Ford, Charles Allen. The following are exact copies of the tw© ftatements alluded to in page 11, under the lat- ter of which are placed a few occafional re- marks. " To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal, " Gentlemen, " Though I have declined the practice of my profeflion, I fhall ever confider it my duty to promote its interefts, and to contribute the mite which Providence may put in my way for the good of fociety, and the advancement of fcience. Itruft I am folely actuated by this principle in eliciting, through the medium of your liberal mifcellany, the opipions and theo- ries of my medical brethren, on the remarka- ble facts which I have been engaged to afcertaia. There is now living in the village of Tutbury, in Staffordfhire, a woman named Ann Moor, in whom nature appears to have eftablifhed a roere circulating recumbent life, without the ufual eflential of nutricious juices. It appearg from her afleverations, which I am compelled to admit on the fubfequent teftimony of actual demonftration, that this ftriking variety of con- ftitution has been the work of many years. C 26 The confiftency of her whole narration, as to the main fact, is itfelf a forcible evidence of her in- tegrity. But I have taken pains to give it all the confirmation that a human circumftance could admit, or the moft determined incredulity fug- geft. All the perfons formerly about her, have been removed, and fhe has been taken to the houfe of a moft decided objector to her veraci- ty ; and two perfons in fucccflion have watched day and night. Placards have been ftuck up, maintaining thefe fa&s ; and the fceptical invit. ed to witnefs or take part in the inveftigation. " It has been announced in the Derby paper, and the medical men of that place acquainted with it, both by letter and perfonal iuAprview. But as to evidence, I need not affirm Turther, than that it has not left an individual in the place unfatisfied, and remains at this time a no- torious fact that continues to invite the inquiry and challenges difproof before all the world. She had been declining in health a long time, and thinks fhe had not been an hour free from pain in her left fide for nine years previous to her firft attack of Annorexy : which fhe im- putes to her wafhing out the finen of a perfon affected with fcorfulous ulcers ; in confequence of which fhe loft all defire of food, and yielded her work on the 4th of November, 1806, From that time till March, the amount of fuftenance taken did not exceed the ratio of half an ounce per diem, her ftrongeft drink being tea, but without milk or cream ; whatever fhe took, re- called to her imagination the ftrong fmell of corruption, which at firft difordered her j and the flimy matter which flie frequently vomited up from the mere recurrence of the idea, feem- ed to have the appearance and fcent that had offended. " In March, 1807, fhe was afflicted with ftrong fits, which ufually left the cramp in her ftomach ; to remedy which fhe drank boiling hot gruel, which, though it fcalded her lips had no difagreeable effect on her ftomach ; and any thing of inferior heat gave a fenfe of cold, and caufed rigors. She firft took to her bed for a continuance, on the 14th of April 1807. '* On the 20th of May following, fhe attempt- ed to fwallow a bit of bifcuit, which was im- mediacy rejected with dreadful vomiting, and blood. " In the latter end of June, fhe took the laft fubftance fhe ever fwallowcd, being a few black currants. Her laft evacuation, (e recto) was by diarrhoea, and took place on the 3d of Au- guft. Since which time, fhe has fallen olf alfo in the quantity of fluids, omitting to take any (at times) two days together. Her common tea has been once varied for onion tea. Her ftrength fhe allows to have decreafed, but her fpirits and mental energy never have, though fhe is frequently taking cold from the flighteft icaufes. Nor is her nead ever free from pain. " In the courfe of the firft three days of the inveftigation, flie fwallowed in the whole a- mount one pound and a half of water ; but happening to ftep into the room while fhe was fwallowing it. the extreme mifery of degluti- tion, and the violent rifing of wind refilling its 28 pafrage to a degree that almoft feemed to threat- en fuffbcation, induced me to diffuade her from tafting any more, while the experiment that was to vindicate her veracity continued. She has followed my advice, and finds every good effect attained from the occafional cleanfing her mouth with a moiftened rag ; as the former object had been only to relieve her of a fickly faintifh tafte in the mouth. She renders an average of a pint of urine in two days ; which is very offenfive, and of a high colour: and ^ her fkin is always moift. But the greateft phae- ^ nomcnon is her extreme emaciation, though fhe has lefs of the fades hipocratia than is common to confumptive patients, and is rcraarkably cheerful and urbane, poffefles a far greater flock of ideas and intelligence than is to be found commonly in her fphere of life. Her circum- ference, meafured round the loins, is 26 inehcs, acrofs the cheft 28, and acrofs the hips 30 inch- es. _There is fcarcely the trace of apy vifcus to be felt in the abdomen ; the bladder, uterus, t and its appendages, are funk beneath the arch of the pubes, and every thing elfe (that might be) is drawn up undsr the-ribs, fo that-it cannot be , perceived. From the loweft rib, the integu- ' ments, defcending to the offa illii form an empty cord-like folding, and at the umbilicus the fla- ; cid parietes abdominis may be readily rubbed ' over the lumbar vertebrae, and.no kind of fub- ftance felt to intervene. The grand trunk of the aorta may be traced by the finger from the ( place moft immediately under the enfiform procefs of the fternum, where the loofe integu- 29 ment is drawn down upon it, nearly to its bifurca- tion. It may be drawn a little from its fitua- tion over the fpine,' and thus by holding the fkin acrofs it with my thumb and finger, I have beerj^able to make it apparent to the bye-ftand- ers, as they thus faw both its fhape % and pul- iation. The watches have been faithfully kept, and (whatever may have wrought the difference if it exifts) flie fays fhe thinks fhe is better and ftronger than fhe has been thefe fix months, and is certainly improved in health fince her removal ; her pulfe has kept the ftandard of health, with daily exacerbations. She fleeps well, and enjoys a remarkably ferene and happy mind. Her voice is ftrong, and holds out the full female exercife ©f that faculty. Hermuf- cular power is such, that fhe can conveniently raifc and fupport herfelf in-bed, Thus, Gen- tlemen, the watch fitting at the time that I write this (which muft ceafe to-morrow, as I engaged to see the woman fafely returned to her habitation before I returned home) it is now the 16th day that fhe has been under the ftricteft fcrutiny ; and the 13th day that fhe has abftained from all fluids. She is now bet- ter in health than when the examination was inftituted j and as far as from the corroborat- ing tettimony of this evidence her veracity may be admitted, the 14th month that flie has fubfifted altogether without ailment. " I have limply ftated fads, which, in thf hands of the exalted Lovers of Phyfiology that read your Journal, may be in the way of rcn- c 2 3P dering that afilftan.ee to Philofophicat Refeafeh* l which will amply remunerate my labour. I would forbear myfelf offering any theory, being confident of my incompetence, and that even the purfuit of fuch an opjeft, would rather leff- en the validity in the eyes of men of fcience, of what might have been better eftablifhed by a fair and unbiafied narration. But in committing this to your care for publication, I fhall anxiouk, ly wait for inftru&ion from others, in the chan- nel through, which, it has fo. often flowed to me. I am, &c. «ROBERT TAYLOR, Member oi the RoyaJ College of Surgeons, London." Lane-End,, StajfordJJtirc, Sept.'T&t 1B08., " Further Account of the Cafe of Ann Mqor, in ■a Letter addrejfedto Dr. DenMan* " Sir,, tf Had Mr. Taylor told me of his intention feo fend an. account of Ann Moor to you for immediate publication,* I might have fupplied^ him with fome further information reflecting , her cafef. But as he did not, and as I faw j •-This does; not appear to be correct ; Mr. Taylor cer- tainly, did inform Mr. Allen ot his intentions, previous ; id Vis fending Ann Moor's, caie to the Medical Journal, ' and that two in the prefence of Mr, Bott. Mr. A. moft probably has forgot this circumftance. t It is much to be regretted that Mr. Allen, if he i» pQiTeffed of the further information which he fpeaks of, fhould keep it back ; as every circumftance relative to } fo extraordinary an affair muft certainly be both intereft- ing to the public and ufeful tp fcience. Why then ha* 3* her daily during the time of his inveftigation, and made my own obfervations, I take the lib- erty of fending you the following ftatement, pequefting you to publifh it, if you think it de- fer ving of a place, in the Medical Journal. *' When I was firft informed of the fituation of Ann Moor, I muft confefs my fufpicion that the report aroie from fome fraudulent motive ; one of thofe wonderful hiftories fometimes ob- truded upon the public, which on examination are found to be void of truth. But I am now convinced, that the account of her extraordina- ry abftinence is perfectly true ; becaufe, fhe could not have carried on the deception without the afjiftance of many other people, and be- Caufe many other perfons, ofwhofe underftanding and veracity there is no reafon to doubt, mutt have been the firft dupes of any impofition. But the fufpicion of any intention to deceive was out of the queftion, by. her being put under tlio ftricf watch, for fixteen days, of feveral perfons, two at leaft of whom were always prefent with her. " Ann Moor is about 58 years of age, of a {lender make and fair complexion. She has been married many years and has had feveral children, the youngeft.of which is 12 years old. he omitted to ftate thefe particulars of the cafe in quef- tion ? It is very evident that Mr. A's letter does not contain the leaft additional intormation, but on the contrary, is very far fhort ol being Jo corrcft a ftatement as the former'; from which confideration I am inclined to think, that fuch iurther information was never in Mr; A's poffeffion. 3* I have frequently attended her, but nevei obferved any thing peculiar in her ailments. She was fubjecf to palmonic complaints, but the laft time I attended her, before her prefent illnefs, was in February 1805 ; the medicines fhe took were merely intended to relieve con- ftipation of the bowels. I faw nothing of her for two years previous to this illnefs ; nor did J ever hear a word of the ftory of her wafhing foul linen, or of her fwallowing fcalding hot gruel, till I read of them in Mr. Taylor's paper. Thefe we may allow to be fomewhat exagger- ated by a perfon who does not wifh to deduct. from the very extraordinary circumftances of her cafe ; but with men of fenfe and judgment, they will not leflen the credibility of the moft important parts of the account.* * It is eafy to accoun' for Mr. A's ignorance on this head, fince he acknowledges that he had not feen the wjman tor two years previous to her illnefs-; and when he did fee her, the violent expreflions which he uttered againft her were not likely to induce her to inform him ot thefe matters, as fhe well knew that he would discredit every word fhe faid. 11 Mr. A. will take tke trouble to queftion her refpecling thefe circumflances, he will find that there has not been any exaggeration made by Mr. T. but that he has merely related what came from her own lips, and which fhe ftill afferts to be facts.—From the abundant opportunities Mr. T. had ot making ob- fervations during the time of the inveftigation and of hearing her repeatedly relate every particular concerning her illnefs, it is very improbable that he fhould ftate any thing erroneous refp*:ctxng her : therefore whether Mr. A. was informed ot them or not, his ignorance does not in the leaft degree leffen the truth of the facts. It is no difficult matter to develope the caufe ot Mr. A's unhand- fbme mfinuitions; but before he ventures to refleft f fine 33 " When the guard was fet over Ann Moor tor fixteen days, for the Arprefs purpofe of de- tecting any fallacy, if any were pra&ifed, in the firft four days fhe certainly took no one thing, except about two ounces'of water, and in the remaining twelve days fhe took not a particle of any thing, either fluid or folid ; nor from that time to the prefent 15th day of No- vember, a period of eight weeks. She con- ftantly begs not to be urged to take any thing, as the attempt to fwallow gives her grievous pain, from (as fhe fuppofes) the wind in her ftomach refitting its paffage. Happily the poor creature has not the leaft inclination or appetite to eat, nor any thirft. " She has paffed no faeces fince the month of Auguft 1807, though a little wind now and then efcapes. She has during that time void- ed her urine once in three or four days, and it has always a ftrong fcent, and is of a high co- lour. Its quantity may generally be eftimated at half a pint in twenty-four hours. " Ann Moor afterts, that for more than a year and a half, fhe has not taken any other nourifhment than a little common tea without either milk or fugar ; and this affertion is con- firmed by the teftimoay of two young women who have lived with her. " Her countenance is frefh and animated, and her voice ftrong ; and in the courfe of the veritate] upon any perfon again I would advise him, as a friend, to look well to the following fentence ;—Quialte- rum accufat delicti, eim ipfum ft intuen oportet. 34 fixteen days, when Jie was watched, I never j obferved her pulfe to vary more than three or four ftrokes from 8o.f n a minute. " The changes produced in the external ap- pearance of Ann Moor, feem tobejuft fuch as might be expected from mere wafting of the whole frame, particularly of the contents and integuments of the abdomen. The vifcera and inteftines are fo fhrunk as to occupy a very little fpace, fome of them being fcarcely per- + ceptible. S© are the abdominal mufcles alfo, yet there is no reafon to doubt but that they are all in their natural fituation ;' and the eafe^ with which the defcending aorta can be felt, and fometimes feen to pulfate, is, I apprehend, to be attributed to the emaciation of thofe parts by which, in a ftate of health, it is con- cealed. " Early in November fhe had a bad cold, with violent fits of coughing, languor, a fenfe'* of wearinefs, and increafed pain in her head, < to fome degree of which flie is liable. Her ; pulfe was then 116 in a minute, yet her tongue -j and fauces were clean and moift, and her fkin ibft and perspirable. She had not then voided any urine for a fortnight; and on applying my hand to the abdomen, perceiving the bladder ; diftended, I proposed introducing the catheter ; but flie had no pain, and affured me flie had of- ten pafled more than a week without voiding any urine, and did not fear but flie fhould foon ' be relieved ; and this accordingly happened ■ foon after. " Now fhe is very much recovered from her 35 cold, coughs feldom, and jgr pulfe is tolerably ftrong, and not more thaiPBo in a minute. " Having related all the paaticulars of this, to me, unprecedented case, I muft acknowedge my inability to explainthem. It has been fug- gefted, by an anatomift of high reputation, that the cafe of Ann Moor may probably be explain- ed, by fuppofing" there is fome diseafe of the cefophagus or ftomach, which prevents her swallowing. But, allowing this, phyfiology will have many difficulties to explain ; partic- ularly how, without any adequate fupport, the functions of life have been carried on. " With your permiflion, I will from time to time fend you an account of this poor woman's fituation, or any material change of circumftan- ces. I am, &c. J. ALLEN." Tutbury, Dec. 8, 1808. I the Subfcriber; in the month of Auguft laft, faw, converfed.and particularly queftioned the above men- tioned Mrs. Ann Moor ot Tutbury, and fully believe m the truth of the above account, it being acknowledged. by herfelt to be nothing but truth,--l al'«. judge her likenefs in wax now exhibiting in the Columbian Mu- feum to be a very perteB resemblance, and much 1m- provd .rom .he p,i„.. I b™^0^s"%RI). Boston, February, i2> 1811. A/bl Iflll cl