Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-06
The Latest American Discovery.

Most OF the English papers arriving In the
latest mail contain editorial comments on DIR.
Tanners fast. The London Ns,rs says: I'VE
have hlnted that taking the story with an
eftorO as 1t is given, the conduct OF the COM
nltteeS OF physicians becomes very interesting
from the moral and legal point OF view. IL is
not very long since an English Judge went SO
far. or nearly so far, as to lay down the princi-
pie that witness who saw another person TAX
Ing poison and did not interfere was guilty OF
the death. 1t may be remembered TOO, that
considerable public diSapprobation was
shown OF the conduct OF the medical
men Ia. the case of the Welsh fast
Ing girl, though that case, as we have said.
is by no means on all tours with DIR. Tanners
Law and public opinion may be less particular
In New DIRK, and the spirit OF sport or OF scien-
u1c investigation may possibly blind the COM
mftteeS TO the fact that they are very much in
the position OF accessories TO murder For
that DR.: Tanner will last out 10 days OF genuine
starvation IS contingency which need hardly
be contemplated. IT, however, we are wrong
and the art or living without food comes, like 50
many other Ingenious discoveries from Ameri-
ca. II must be admitted that the eagle whose
home is In the setting sun Will have abundant
reasons for Growing, were it not for the fact
Zoologically certain, that eagles don't crow.
The United States will thus be at once the
greatest food producers In the world, and the In
ventorS OF the method of doing without food
altogether. They can say, which hand
viii you have? to the rest OF creation,
al Il the rest OF creation can take its
Ct Ofce OF an ordinary existence on corn and
homs or OF an existence weak and nervous, in
0ee0. out Stlll cheerful, upon nothing at all.
For 1t is quite clear that the limit OF 10 days
must be more or less an arbitrary one. The
sensible way OF inquiry is to put the thing In a
rule-of three sum. Ii DR.. Tanner loses Is pounds
In l6 day how long Will he last his total weight
being given? We suppose that a margin OF a
pound or two must be left In order to make a
basis wherein to build the body up again at the
expiration OF the fast. But otherwise the num-
Der of rounds weight divided by 4 will give
the answer. We generally count In England by
the stone, and, speaking roughly, each stone
gives ten days lasting power, or say nine for
fear OF accidents Hence, the person least skilled
in arithmetic can readily calculate his own
powers Of foedlesS existence. 1t is needless to
say that to the shipwrecked mariner. to the
obstinate persons who, In spite OF all the appli-
anceS OF civilization, persist In occasionally
being starved In London, and to the forces OF
civilized nations when they NEEDLE with uncom-
Portable barbarans who live In deserts the
1aDnerian discovery Is or Will be OF the highest
Importance. The only fear Is that the provoking
fate which befell the medieval martyrs before
mentioned ard the still more famous mare who
was once in training for a similar feat, VIII
befall Or. Tanner. III IT does, perhaps the most
appropriate punishment for the committees
OF physicians would be to make them indi-
vGually and succeSSiI ely repeat the Tannerian
experiment untll the last man, who, there
being no one TO watch him, might perhaps be