Weird But True—Minnesota Housewife Went SEVEN Years WITHOUT Food, Water, or Sleep!
In 1934, a Minnesota woman stunned the world by asserting she thrived without eating, drinking, or sleeping since 1927. Strange—but true! 🌐 #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #WeirdNews
ST. PAUL, MN – Way back in 1934, a startling story emerged from a modest home at 642 Half Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. Louis Nasch, a 55-year-old painter, spoke to reporters. He said his wife, Martha Nasch, hadn’t eaten, drunk, or slept in seven years. The 44-year-old bob-haired housewife, according to her husband, remained perfectly healthy despite this extraordinary claim.
Louis Nasch stepped forward with the story to dispel any notions that he was starving his wife. Martha, when questioned by the press, supported her husband’s account, admitting that she expected skepticism from the public.
To back their assertions, Louis, their 12-year-old son Robert (some say his name was Ralph), a student at Theodore Roosevelt Junior High School, and a neighboring girl signed a statement affirming they had not witnessed Martha consume food or drink since July 29, 1927.
A Willingness to Prove It
Martha Nasch offered to submit to scientific scrutiny, proposing constant surveillance for up to six months to validate her condition. She described her state as “supernatural,” a phenomenon she first noticed years earlier.
Before 1934, she sought medical advice from a St. Paul physician, who labeled her refusal to eat as “a case of nerves.” This led to her confinement at the State Insane Hospital in St. Peter, Minnesota.
While at the hospital, doctors found her normal in all respects except her persistent avoidance of food. She occupied her time reading, writing, and drawing, discreetly discarding meals provided to her.
During her stay, Martha turned to scientific texts and found a passage from the Old Testament that she believed explained her situation: a description of seeing food and water but being unable to partake, likening it to wormwood and gall.
She felt this matched her experience, though she could not explain why it applied to her.
A Healthy Housewife Defies Medical Opinion
Despite her alleged abstention from sustenance and rest, Martha maintained the strength to cook and manage housework for her husband and son. Louis insisted her health remained intact, a claim that baffled local doctors.
When reporters approached St. Paul physicians for comment, they dismissed the possibility of surviving without nourishment as absurd. No records indicate that Martha underwent the scientific tests she proposed.
A Family in the Spotlight
The Nasch family’s tale gripped public attention in 1934, but after the initial flurry of interest, no further updates appeared in the press. Census records confirm that Martha, Louis, and Robert (possibly Ralph) continued residing in St. Paul by 1940.
Louis Nasch lived until 1964, according to Minnesota death records, while no such record exists for Martha.
The unusual case of Martha Nasch remains a curiosity—a St. Paul housewife’s bold assertion of living beyond the bounds of human necessity, met with doubt from the medical community and left unresolved in the public eye.
A Moment for Reflection
We pay tribute to Martha Nasch, her family, and all who grappled with this bewildering story, recognizing their courage in facing public doubt and scrutiny. The St. Paul community, from the neighbors who vouched for her to the doctors who questioned her claims, remains a vital part of this enduring tale. This story inspire us to ponder the mysteries of human resilience and the strength found in the unexplainable. Thanks for reading this article, we appreciate it! Until next time, remember: you deserve to feel good today! — Jack and Kitty Norton, Founders and Editors
RELATED TOPICS: History | Lifestyle | Minnesota | Weird News
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Thank you for your interest in my family history regarding my great grandmother, Martha nasch and for the touching message you put at the bottom of the article. I would appreciate it if you would give credit to ACME for the photograph that you have shown of Martha with her husband, Louis. And if you would please acknowledge that Martha nasch has a biography available about her life and experience and it is titled poems from the Asylum. The book will sift what is bogus velocity and provide evidence for what her true experience was. Additional research findings are available on my website that are vetted not only by family descendants and relatives but also that have been carefully reviewed by the hospital that treated her for the strange symptomsThank you very much.
Hello. I’m Martha’s grandaughter. The original article misprint my dad’s name. It was Ralph, not Robert. While someone once said no publicity is bad publicity, there are some factual errors in this article based on old newspaper clippings. We invite your readers to visit the fb page Seven Years Insane for many articles, photos, and videos. We authenticated and verified all accounts. Where unable to find documentation, we presented plausible theories to explain our findings. Please visit us there and leave questions or comments.
Martha died in 1970. She remarried and therefore her death record reflects the name Martha Lehman, of Sibley County.
Hey Jodi – Thanks for reading. Such a small world. This story is so fascinating 🙂 Have a blessed day! – Jack and Kitty
Thanks for reading and sharing, Janelle! We’ll have to grab a copy of that book. Cheers! 🙂 – Jack and Kitty