The Red Cloud chief., 1877-12-06
The Champion Fast.

were IL not tIl0t puyolCIoLS oIC PiO-
verbally exact in all statements OF
cases under treatment or brought with
in the range of their professional knowl-
edge, the extraordinary narrative re-
corded below might be peremptOrily con-
signed to the realm of "fshy yarns"
But surrounded as it is by personal
knowledge and professional veracity
the reporter is disposed to accept it with.
out question, and leave the reader to
settle his or her own mind upon the
more incredible points involved in the
case, and which are substantially en-
braced in the accompanying condensa-
ton of the statement of DR.. Amenzo
Meyer, whose Office may be found at No.
254 Hennepin avenue.
According to DR.. Meyers statement.
as prepared tor the Nedical Times. he
had occasion to ask the advice of an
other medical friend. named DR.. Tanner
during the latter part of the summer.
DIS. Meyer and Tanner called on q pa
tient in the night tine, and upon their
return to the Office, on Hennepin avenue,
DR.. Tanner complained of illness, and
retired to the sleeping apartment con
nected with DR.. Meyers office. Here he
remained for ten days, and during the
entire time resOlutely declined all prof.
fered n~Ourishment, and limited himself
to cold water exclusively.
At the end of ten days DR.. Tanner con.
sidered himself sufficiently recovered to
indulge in exercise in the open air, but
concluded to continue the fasting test,
in order to see how long human life may
be prolonged without the use of any
nourishment whatever. He remained
in DR.. Meyers Office and was 80 contin.
uously under the observation of Meyer,
that the latter is positively convinced
that he did not take food surreptiously.
During the latter part of the test, DR..
Tanner was daily examined by his
friend and associate, and exact records
of his symptoms were jotted down. DR..
Tanner remained without food fol- just
fOrty-twO days, and the only things used
during the time in the shape of nourish.
mcnt or stimulant, were a daily walk in
the open air and a swallow of water
whenever inclination prOmpted-a suf-
ficiently light diet for any purpose. To-
ward the latter portion of the test unu.
sual physical symptoms were discovered.
While DR.. Tanner did not show any ma.
terial reduction in tissue or strength.
the action of the heart was visibly weak
ened and not the faintest trace of pulsa.
ton could be discovered at the wrist
With the appearance of this symptom of
a mOribund condition, DR.. Tanner ire
turned to his feed" in precisely forty.
two days after engaging in his extraor.
binary experiment. DR.. Meyer states
that he ate sparingly at first, but soon
developed an enormous appetite, such
as would prove an immediate ruin to
any we'll regulated church festival or
boarding house of limited capital. Grad.
ually. however, normal habits were 10.
sumed. and the patient" is now in his
normal health, ready for some other man
to begin the experience where he left of.
There are those who will call this
story fiction" but witnesses of its ver.
acity may be found in Minneapolis du.
ring Office hours, and the reporter, in
justification of its reproduction in this
form, can only add that-like the exper.
iment recorded-it had been undertaken
purely lin the interest of science."-St
Paul Ptoneer.P Press.