Martha Taylor, “The Derbyshire Damsel” Stopped Defecating
From 1668 to 1669, the case of Martha Taylor “The Derbyshire Damsel” attracted the attention of local doctors and clergymen, because she claimed to have not eaten anything except the juice of a roasted raisin. Starting at the age of 10, Martha apparently went an entire year without eating. Apparently, she had stopped urinating or passing stools. She was proclaimed a “wonder of the world”. A Protestant named John Reynolds, who was a member of London’s Royal Society of Physicians, set out to prove these claims wrong. He called all of the religious claims “miracle mongers”. Reynolds wrote about his own medical theories as to why he believed Martha could survive without food or water. There are no official records saying exactly when she died, so we’re not sure how long she was able to survive in her condition.