The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-04-26
Jfklst&llautons,
Voluntary Starvation.

We clip the following remarkable tale
from the Dayton (Ohio) Journal of the
first and fourth insts
A good deal has been said about a case
OF voluntary starvation, and is alleged,
now in progress here. Thesreports were
that an old man, by command of the spir.
its, had refused to eat another mouthful
of food, and had gradually wasted away
until he had reached the verge of the
grave. For the purpose of getting some
insight into this case of voluntary starva.
ton, we called yesterday at the residence
of the starving man, MIR. B. NJ. Brown,
on the southeast corner of Wilkinson and
Water streets The relation of the de-.
tails of this remarkable case of absti.
hence from food was simple and affecting.
We learned from the wife of MIR. Brown,
plain, supplemented, and, to all ap-
pearances, a truthful woman, that, on the
18th of February, her husband assisted
her in carrying in load of coal. He
was taken with chill soon afterward,
and went to bed exhausted. That night
he ate little bit of toast soaked in tea,
since which time, she averred, that he had
not taken particle of nourishment
of any kind. Yesterday was the thirty
second day Of the continuance of this total
abstinence from food. He has taken little
water two or three times a day. Mr..
Brown is eighty-four years old, and was
quite feshy when he ceased eating. He
Is now reduced to mere skeleton. He
is cheerful and says he is entirely happy
and anxious for the change, which, be
says, must soon come. AS to the report
that he had set about starving himself at
the command of the "spirits,' he says it
is not true. The reason for his absti-
hence is simply want of appetite. He
declares that he has not for more than
thirty days had any desire for food-that
he could not swallow it if nature re-
quired such support. The testimony in
favor of this long abstinence appears to be
reliable. The wife of Mr.. Brown dis.
claims most positively any connection
with scheme to deceive the people, by
giving nourshment or stimulants in Sc
cret, and pretending that some supernat-
ural power sustains her husband in his
protracted fasting. 1t seems to be in
credible, as it certainly is contrary to the
teachings of science and of experience as
we'll, that this starvation process could go
on without intense suffering. Yet Mr..
Brown, according to his own declarations
and those of his wife, has suffered no pain,
but, on the contrary, appears happy and
resigned to the fate which he knew was
inevitable. He said yesterday, when
questioned on this point, "You see that
l am wasted to skeleton, and that few
hours will close my tiWe on earth.-
Would l, with eternity just before me,
say what was deceptive and false to make
sensation? No, | would not do that.
| refused to eat because | had no desire
for food. I have had no desire for it, nor
have I taken any for thirty-two days. ]
have suffered no pain, but have laid in
my bed, happy in the prospect of enjoy :
ment in the world to come. Tonight l
hope and believe will close my existence
here" Mr.. Brown has. lived in Dayton
for about thirty years. He is a shoe
maker, and has worked at his trade in-
dustriously during his residence here