A complete history of the case of the Welsh fasting-girl (Sarah Jacob) with comments thereon; and observations on death from starvation.
- Fowler, Robert
- Date:
- 1871
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A complete history of the case of the Welsh fasting-girl (Sarah Jacob) with comments thereon; and observations on death from starvation. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![Magistrates. Mr. John Griffith, in his Depositions before tlie Magistrates, states that the words spoken to him were: She could not even be removed fiom her little bed to the other without tainting. The Welsh ■word used for fainting was 'Faintio.' 21 Dr. Th omas Jones, late ot New^ Quay, under his anonyme, Ob- Bervator, states :— When 1 was there,—and scores of visitors have told me the same thing,—the mother contrived to reach one of the dogs and kick [it] twice, to give me the benefit of the Us.—South Wales Press. Magistrates. In his statement before the Coroner, the father said that they moistened her lips, with water only, several times a day.' ^ The quotations preceding this number are (when not otherwise annotated) from Dr. Lewis's letter, ant. cit.; from the Depositions of the Eev. Evan J ones before the Magistrates at Llandyssil, ilarch 3rd, 1870 ; and from the statement made by the father before the Coroner, on December 23rd, 1869. In a note to ourselves, the Vicar says he was specially and re- peatedly sent for hy the girl, who appeared to be exceedingly anxious about her soul. 2^ Between February and June, 1869, th^ Vicar's unbelief unfor- tunately appears to have completely broken down In a letter (re- ferred to at page 15) inserted in the FFeZsA7??a», February 19, 1869, and signed The Vicar of Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, downright credulity in the wonderful little girl' is very pointedly betrayed. Literce scriptce manent! (In July, 1869, I had grave doubt about the truth of what the parents said. Eev. Evan Jones—Magisti-ates.) In a very kind note to ourselves (dated December 23rd, 1869), the Vicar says— Some five or six months since, the girl improved very much in her appearance. Her voice became stronger, and her face very much more plump than usual. This made me doubt the whole affiiir, and scattered any theories, which I might have entertained, to the winds. After our return home from the Magisterial Investigation, we received by post the following letter, which had been directed to Dr. Fowler, Llandyssil, Wales. AVe are precluded from giving the writer's address and name, which latter, in its similitude to one of the Welsh words alluded to, considerably augmented our amuse- ment on perusal:— March 15th, 1870. Dear Sir,—I find in this morning's report of your evidence con- cerning the Fasting-Girl's case, upon cross-examination, the name of Dr. Mawr appears to have been reported of as a great doctor, who could do the girl good. Will you be kind enough to inform me, by return of post, whether he is a qualified Member of the Profession or not, as his name does not appear in the Medical Eegister? ' We at once forwarded the subjoined answer:— •' March 18th, 1870. De.\r Sir,—' Doctor Mawr' are the Welsh words for that ' Great Doctor,' whose Eegister is the Bible, and whose advertisement is all Creation.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b23982706_0276.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
