The autobiography of Elizabeth Squirrell of Shottisham, and selections from her writings : together with an examination and defence of her statements relative to her sufferings, blindness, deafness, entire abstinence from food and drink during twenty-five weeks, and other extraordinary phenomena: also facts and opinions illustrative and suggestive / by one of her watchers.

  • Squirrell, Elizabeth, 1838-
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The autobiography of Elizabeth Squirrell of Shottisham, and selections from her writings : together with an examination and defence of her statements relative to her sufferings, blindness, deafness, entire abstinence from food and drink during twenty-five weeks, and other extraordinary phenomena: also facts and opinions illustrative and suggestive / by one of her watchers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    absorb or imperceptibly pass down, as nothing could pass the oesophagus by a muscular action. By this time the milk had become so palatable and suited to my taste, that any other kind of nutriment touching my lips, was not only ungrateful, but offensive to me. ‘The proverb, “use is second nature,” is very correct; for, if natm’e is sustained in her functional energy with a certain quantity or a certain quality of nourishment, and we interfere by placing a sub- stitute, she soon evinces her dislike of the intrusion; and it is truly surprising with how little the body will support itself. I seemed to require less of food than anything else. I had no requirements further than the milk, and, indeed, have frequently remained the whole day 'without tasting it. It has been said, that states of mind may and do influence matter; if so, it might have been demonstrated in my case, for my mind was peculiarly stated, as I will here- after explain. During the winter I expectorated daily, and large quantities of blood. I suffered the most rending pain in the lungs and liver, and seemed as if rapidly declining. ‘ I lost all relish for writing, and lay in listless suffering. AYinter was passing and I still maintained. It was hoped I might again re-nve, or, at least, be less distressed with suffering. In the latter we were not mistaken; for, in the spring, I was greatly relieved by an inflammatory gathering upon my chesk It was extremely painful, and of an intense heat, but as it subsided my sufferings lessened, and I appeared better. But, although it relieved my pain, it was but the forerunner of an unaccountable