, 1877-12-27

Or. II. 8. Tanner, the hero OF "The Sir
Weeka' Fast" has published a very long letter
OH thg' subject. the main point Of which Is tue
otler contained At tic close. That such q feat
aS he claims to have done vas not nn lupos-
slbtllty, he contends from tho caseB Of the
Savior, whom, however, be admits to have been
moro than human, nnd Of tue wife Of Dr. Smith,
Of this city who is said to hare lived lfty-sercn
days with no other nourishmcnt than little
gum.Arablc water. Tie also cites the Instances
Of Kanc,. Fremont, md other explorers, who
have preserved thcir vitality under prolonged
fasting aud hardship; then goes on to argue
that In "thc hibcrnations Of co1d-bIooded rep
turn We have abundant evidence u support The
assumption that total abstinence from loud for
many inunths docs not iaNolvc the total exttnc-
tton Of the Ytal psincipi@H 1libernattng AMI
allcr passtng winter without food (Which, in-
deed, ts nUt usually the case}; ait through tho
parental porto1 tho embryo ei.ill exists Without
air pr fou1, aii1 there ara lnputnerable wc1l.au-
tllehtcatei cascs Of catacpsy Or trance in whtcl,
persons, from variety of causes, have sunk
into morbid state which has bccu mistaken for
death. ln these cases, as In alternating animals,
the Involuntary forces were ,sltspcndct tho
the lungs anL heart no loneer heaseai and pull
tinilys grew stl1 mud cold. Thousands In this
condition have bern prematurcly buried, come
to life, turned over In tteir cutlins, aud PERISH
cd. Tho Doctor contends that this condition og
suspended animation Is idcntirnlly tho saIae as
that found in animals during tho winter
rcbosc, aud that there Is nothing to show why
It should not exist fer an indefinite prriod, as
tho same law that sustntns the lower nuiuats
through the long, tctfuus winter months !n
condition VI suspended animation IA simply suf-
flclent to sustain md keep aiiyc the Vital shark
In the higher forms of animated nature, when
conditions arc fayorablc. When tho voluntary
powyrs OF o,tr bodies are exhausted they fall
asleep at night, and In tho morning VIC wnkc Up
refreshed. But when the involuntary poWcrs
arc entirely exhausted by pnln or fevcrs, Or sick
ncss In gencral, they fall asleep. Thls s!eett W.
call death. II not entirely exhausted, but
closely approxtmnttng to 1t, tllcu wc get tho
condition above described. Iicnco at death,
could tue 1aws Of chemsstry TINT dccompose our
bodies hc suspended and could tho entire BystcD
blood md all, bo kept In entirely the same con-
,lltiou NJ when We expired, VIC should wake ut
after few days In perfect health. Say8 Dr.
Tanner;
ult WAS with desire 10 tnnw nno.o aho,,t
t1da rhnt,I,e IN nroha it4 n,yhferic. tl,af vo.
,imtnriIy ,,n,icrtpnk the iiiscnm fnrttnr ,aet ~
eliminating thu jnyolnntarv forccs NJ nv .rstrm
ami hv tJniiv crsrtitns M for snrrcc;c1 ~ ~
h hro,,rhi 10 tha very m,rtal. of the tnmh' !
eoull almost arc oycr 10 iIlc other sborei: tin
hrnrt,s nct,on WA wclt-nipl, ansnrndc,i. h. n
,utnbrr ri jlnva th,.r. WA m ncrrcntTin rlrcn.
int if,D in thn cytrcmjtjcs. Jn rnnsenucnrc ~
NV .,w,, fmnru,lcnc, in iirinkino roII Wafnr ~
aI,...s n1mi untuly ercrcfsJnT on the thirty.
etrht} ,]ny of nv faat whirh inducel ncr.tst-
rnt rctchInn and vomiting. with intnr-
ynis of scycrc hlccouel, The cxpcrsmeut was mt
pushed to tho eIturt lcsirutI and intnnici. /