Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-02-07

again-the wild, despairing face of
Bertha Linton, my promised bride, ,
DIR. TANNERS LONG FAST.
GoISG WITHOUT FOOD FoRTr-Two
DAYS.
hi ;nneanolis Cor, New York World,
DR.. III. ). Tanner, the hero of 1.-The
six-weeks' fast has published Il
very long letter on the subject, the
main point of which is the offer con-
tanned at the close. That such feat
as he claims to have done was hot an
impossibllity, he contends from the
cases of the Savior, whom, however,
he admits to have been more than hui
man. and of the wife of DR.. Smith,
of this city, who is said to have lived
tifty-sevcn days with no other nour-
ishment than little gum-arabic wa
ter. lie also cites the instances Of
Kane, Fremont, and other explorers.
who have preserved their vitality un-
der prolonged fasting :nd hardship; !;
then goes on Ia argue that in 1.-THE
hibernations of cold-blooded reptiles
and certain superior forms of animat-
| ed nature We have abundant evidence
to support the assumption that total
abstinence from food for many months
does not involve the total extinction
of the vital principle" alternating
animals, DIR. Tanner says, show no
loss Of flesh after passing a winter
without food (Which, indeed, is not
usually the case); all through the
parental period the embryo child ex-
lists without air or food, and there are
innumerable well-authenticated cases
of catalepsy or trance in which per-
sons from a variety of causes, have
sunk into a morbid state which has
been mistaken for death. In these
cases, AS in alternating animals, the
involuntary forces were suspended,
the lungs and heart no longer heaved
and pulsated, the blood ceased to
circulate. and the limbs grew stiff AMI
cold. Thousands in this condition
have been prematurely buried, come
to life, turned over in their collins,
end perished. The Doctor contends
that this condition of suspended ami
nation is identically the same As that
found in animals during the winter
repose, aud that there is nothing to
show why it should not exist for an
indefinite period, as the same law
that sustains the lower animals through
the long, tedious winter months in a
condition of suspended animation is
amply sufficient to sustain and keep
alive the vital spark in the higher
forms of animated nature, when con-
ditions are favorable. When the |
voluntary powers of our bodies are
exhausted they fall asleep at night,
and in the morning we wake up
refreshed. But when the involuntary |
powers are entirely exhausted by pain
or fevers, or sickness in general they |
fall asleep. This sleep we call death.
Ii not entirely exhausted, but closely |
to it, then We get the
above described. Hence.
at death, could the laws of chemistry
that decomposc our bodies be suspen- |
dcd, and could the entire system, !
blood and all, be kept in entirely the
same condition as when we expired, |
we should wake up after n few days |
in perfect health. Says DR.. Tanner:
1T was with desire to know more |
about this change, to probe its mys- |
teries, that l voluntarily undertook
the discomtorting task of exhausting |
the involuntary forces of my system
by forty.two days of total abstinence
from food, and by daily exercises
so far succeeded as to be brought to |
the very portals of the tomb. could
almost see over to the other shore !;
the hearts action was well-nigh sus-
pended for number of days there
vas no percept ble circulation in the
extremities. In consequence of my
own imprudence in drinking cold
water to excess and unduly exercis-
ing on the thirty-eighth day of my
fast, which induced persistent retch-
ing and vomiting, with intervals Of
severe hic-coagh, the experiment was
not pushed to the extent desired and
intended. / do not hesitate to de-
clare it as my firm belief that it is
not impossible for human beings, pc
culiarly constituted aud under favor
able conditions, to remain for months
in condition of suspended anima-
ton (like the lower animals), de-
prived of air, food, and water, and
buried six feet under ground, withal.
It is well-estahliahed fact that hiber-
mating animals do exist for months
in condition Of suspended anima-
tion. Who, in tie face af these ...ee.a,