The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-09-05

Harvey, Aselli, Vidal, Bernard, Flint,
Carpenter, Draper, Broca and hundreds Of
others, men OF giant intellects, W no have
spent the best energies % lifetime in physi'
illogical research, the foundation of the prac'
tice of educated physicians of the present
day? Have these men, many OF them
knighted by the government, under which
the lived for valuable services rendered
humanity, spent their ives in vain To sc
conclude would be sheer madness and a re.
Election upon all intelligent and scientific
work. Your unwarranted structures, how
ever. upon the medical profession are mol
sustained, we are glad to know, by other In
auential and impartial Journals in New York
CITY, and elsewhere as well, who have taken
the pains to ascertain the exact manner in
which the fast of Tanner was conducted, and
the real attitude assumed by the regular
medical profession towards it. That news
papers have the privilege, If they SO desire,
10 satisfy hungry public, of "setting up
men of straw" Is neither questioned or OBJ
iectea to BY q body of men engaged ln the
more serious affairs of life, but it is hardly
desired or proper that on scientific matters
pertaining to their calling position shall BIO
gratuitiously assumed for a profession too
modest to parade. before the, pub
lie eve It's learning, and too
Jealous Of the interests of science to endorse
a "patent hammock side show, 80 called
fasting experiment, to which the gaping
crowd was admitted at twenty-five cents q
head. Physicians.did not, We emphatically
state, deny the possibility of Tanner accom-
plishing a feat of fasting forty days. As
evidence of this we might cite cases reported
in our own journals, of fasting not only forty
DAYS. but forty mine days, and Others of
twenty and thirty days as well. They did
desire, although prohibited on account Of
Tanners precedents, and his own actions from
co operating with him, to see the experiment
conducted so that the results
might have legitimate and scientific value.
Tanner had been a disappointed man, having
the proper and lawful education
to practice medicine, in which at
tempt he made most signal and no doubt
Notifying failure. After this he established
A system of baths, (tho deneir resort of those
without education in rational medicine), in
which venture he also failed. Being man
IF energy, strong will, perhaps, and some so.
,ial position, he persisted in his efforts to at
,ract popular attention, and at last hit upon the
,xpedient of exemplfying his peculiar views
If fasting" by a public exhibition of an eI'
on his own person. On application
% the Neurological society OF New York,
of persons and physicians distin-
,uished by their learning, and devotion to the
interests of true science, he was informed that
he society would supervise the fast, provided
10 would subscribe to certain regulations, by
which he would DO strictly watched and the
Whole experiment conducted on scientific
principles. He e-emptorily refused to &C.
EIDE to this requirement and thereby forfeited
IL claims he would have had to the co-opera-
ion of the society as well as
he confidence of the medical pub
@ at large. That he was closely
'atched by regular members of the medical
rofession Is utterly untrue. A few regular
physicians dropped into the hall occasionally
lille others remained irregularly during the
ay. He was, however, unattended by them
lille on his daily drives, his walks in the
arks, visits to the BARRIERS, photographers,
tc. 1t is unnecessary for us to here point
ut the significance of this latter fact, and
nat of others, which will read
v occur to any sensible man
tho watched the daily record of the
asst as it even appeared in the associated
,ress reports, non professional source, how
'ver, and therefore not entirely reliable. Nor
10 we propose here to discuss the subject of
lasting, nor account for the rapid recovery
,fT nner from his alleged protracted fast,
On miscellaneous dietary and other re-
features of the performance not
adverted to by the newspapers. Our object il
merely to disabuse the public mind of ar
impression sought to be created by some
that the medical profession wa:
opposed to the experiment being made at all
had denied the possibility of its accomplish
ment, and endeavored by captious criticism
to deprive Tanner OF any benefit which
might accrue from the results of his pro
posed demonstration. The medical profes
sion is enlisted in the cause of true science
and the correct observation and use of al
facts tonding in any way to prevent or over
come disease in the human body. Rationa
medicine does not seek to blind herself an(
others by disregarding such facts, let then
come from any source whatever, but thes,
must come properly accredited with nc
shadow of doubt thrown upon them, be it eve
so small She has gratefully acknowledged
tribute from every branch of scienc
and art known to man, but these must eithe
pass through the crucible of her own testin.
or have the genuine seal of truth before be,
ing added to the great storehouse of knowl
edge. 1t Is true that dealing with the subtl
forces of health and disease, under ever vary
ing conditions, she will often err in her de
auctions and fail in her efforts, but shall
she on these accounts be derided and repu
dated? We thipknot. Thousands will We
worship at her shrine and she will continu
in the future as in the past, an element o
our growth and civilization to develop ant
dispense the resources of the healing art t
the children of men, respected by all intelli
gent and thoughtful minds. Unlike tn
augurs of Cicero, she has her open book {
history and philosophy replcte with tn
learning of centuries. Her grand concer
tons, liberalizing influences and everything
charities can have no place with for.une.tel
lers. Of what shall she be afraid Certsir
ly not of the newspaper apotheosis of Tan ne
EsGuLAPIUs.
| DALLAS, Tex, August 4, 1850.