The daily gazette., 1880-08-09

Professor William A. Hammond
is physician Of New York, of the
Irregular school," DR.. Ii. s. Tanaer
is physician of Minneapolis-an
eclectic physician. DR.. Hammond
wrote book. In it he described a
number of girls who had at different
times claimed to have lived for a
number of days without food. He
undertook to prove that such thing
was impossible. DR.. Tanner didn't
agree with him. This man had a
theory of his own, which he claimed
to have practiced on himself. 1t
was that fasting would cure certain
diseases. In 1877 he had suffered
with rheumatism of the heart and in
fiamation of the stomach. For for
ty-two days be went without food, so
he said, and that fast cured him. He
said he could do it again. DIR. Ham
mond said he couldn't, and there
was some sort of promise on DR..
Hammond's part that if DIR. Tanner
succeeded, under certain conditions,
in abstaining from all food for forty
days he should receive THOUSAND
dollars. Tanner went at it, watch
ed by eclectic physicians. Ham
mond intimated that Irregular" ply
sicians alone were capable of watch
ing the man. Then there was trou-
BILE among the doctors. and Tanner
declared that he would complete his
task whether he got the money Of
fered him OF not. At first he was
watched by eclectic doctors, but af-
ter few days the regulars" got so
much interested that they couldn't
stay away, and until the completion
Of the fast at noon Saturday, regu-
lars and eclectics have carefully
watched every movement, and have
accompanied the fasting man at
every step. and all agree that DR..
Tanner has honestly abstained from
partaking of food for forty days and
forty nights.
WHO TANNER is.
DIR. Tanner was born in Tunbridge
wells, England, in 1881. When sew
enteen years of age he came to this
country, went to Wisconsin and be-
gan studying medicine. Subsequent
ly he moved to Minneapolis, Mimi,
and began practice as an eclectic
physician.
The last day of DR.. Tanners fast was
the most remarkable. 1t was expected
that great crowds would attend to wit
ness the close of the ordeal and see the
great abstainer begin to feed. While
tue multitude was not so great in num-
bers as was expected, the interest which
was felt in the termi alton Of the fast
was stretched to the highest pitch. And
this was augmented, too, by the eata-
blrs which were arrayed in tempting
display in the middle of the hall. Such
III, lons-the pick of the choicest melon
patches in the county-Dever before
tempted the hungry eyes Of famlshed
mortality.
AS eirly as nine o'clock the viands
began to make their appearance, and
the melons and coca beef and bottled
milk attracted almost as much attention
as the faster. Occasionally DIR. Tanner
would look down from the gallery upon
the busy hands which were arranging
the tempting spread below, and as he
looked it seemed as if he was counting
the seconds which must elapse before
the food passed his lips. few minutes
before ten clock be arose and left the
gallery, where he had been holding a
levee all the morning.
PREPARING FOR BREAKFAST.
During this time it was interesting to
watch the gathering of the assemblage
and the completion of the preparations
for breaking the Doctors fast. DR..
Wilson took personal charge of the ell
closure in the middle OF the hale and
such of the visitors as were able found
seats in the space without and around it.
Before ten every stall along the east and
west walls was occupied, and although
additional settees were provided many
persons were compelled to stand during
the two hours. About five hundred
people were in the hall.
OUTSIDE THE HALL.
With the crowd on tho outside this
feeling was stronger even than with the
multitude within. Before noon Thir-
teenth street in front of Clarendon Hall
and almost from avenue to avenue was
packed with human beings. People
went there to Get the earliest tidings OF
the effect of Dr. Tanners first mouthful.
BEGINNING TO EAT.
AT three minutes before twelve O'Clock
Dr. Tanner drew peHknife from his
pocket, and after nervously looking at
his watch began to peel large peach
that he had fondled in his left hand for
half an hour. His lips moved as though
the pangs of hunger were forcing them,
but his teeth were rgidly set and his
eyes were fixed with all the intensity of
his tremendous will power. He had re-
sisted the appeals of DR.. Gum and the
Rev. Dr. Deems, who had ehdeavored TO
dlssuade him fom beginning with fruit.
He had said, ~ have plenty OF milk
handy and won't, AXE your diluted stuff.
I've tried this before and know what to
do. Now I'm going to have my own
| way. | have a lucious peach ready, and
when the hour comes, down it goes" DIR.
| Gum here examined DR.. Tanner and
made the announcement Pulse, 92;
respiration, II; temperature, 49,
| The MONDAY steam whistles screeched;
| DR.. Tanners countenance frightened; /;
he looked at his watch and raised the
peach TO his lips, but paused for quar-
ter of minute; the physicians remon-
strated as he began to eat it; the multi
tude in the street, seeing him at the
window, began to cheer; he stood up
and faced the hundreds who were cheer
ing and waved his handkerchief, and then
the physicians accompanied him into the
I II u 4