OCR Text |
Show DR. TANNER'S EXPERIMENT. On Saturday last, Aug. 7th, Dr. Tanner completed his remarkable experiment of fasting forty days, without taking any nourishment whatever except water. The Dr.[doctor] resides in New York, and had advocated the theory that there were great nutritive qualities in water, pure and simple, and that, with plenty of it to use internally and externally, a human being might live much longer without solid food of any kind, than was usually supposed possible. The Dr. had greater fortitude than is usually manifested by the formulators of new medical theories, and resolved to demonstrate, upon himself, the truth of his. When he first commenced to fast, very few people believed his proposed fast to be possible, and during the entire period of his trying experiment, its effects and characteristics have been very closely observed by scientific men. Physicians have been in close and constant attendance upon him, and a minute record has been kept of all the results and symptoms attending the experiment. During the forty days, the Dr. bathed frequently, had water applied outwardly, to his person, in various ways and drank of it freely. The scientific gentlemen who were so constantly with him, have expressed the opinion that, had he been entirely deprived of water from the first day, he would not have been sane, nor even alive, at the end of twelve days. They think he might possibly have survived twenty days, by the ?? external use of water, accompanied by very small quantities taken into the stomach, but even this would have been doubtful. But by the unlimited use, outwardly and inwardly, of water, he has survived a fast of forty days. It now remains to be seen what effect the taking of food will have upon the stomach and system of the courageous doctor. Grave doubts are expressed as to the possibility of his stomach retaining and digesting food, after so long a period of rest. Later news reports that a high noon, when the Dr.'s time was up, he was in a large hall where an assemblage of 1,000 persons cheered him. He drank a glass of milk and ate a piece of watermelon. He weighed 121 pounds at the end of the fast, having lost 30 pounds during it. During the afternoon, he took food every hour or two, the articles consumed being wine, watermelon, apples and beefsteak, the juice of which only was swallowed. He had gone against medical advice in eating some of these things, but they did not seem to hurt him, and at last accounts, he was improving rapidly. |