The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-12
Tanner

As all the world and bis wife sat at break
fast on the morning of August eth, the uni
versal topic was the wonderful fact that a
fellow mortal had possessed the strength of
will, and the misunderstanding of interior, to
live. move, and have his being for forty
days and forty nights without a morsel of
food, or %stlmulant, or medicine without
losing his mind, his temper, or his capacity
to walk and talk The thing seems utterly
incredible and overturns the theories of
centuries. Yet by all accounts the fast was
genuine. DR.. Tanner was watched, not by
his friends, but by skeptics, who until the
last wuek suspected fraud. He was watched
not only by physicians, but by a picked
corps of reporters set by the Herald, as well
as by hundreds of visitors Moreover he
was subjected to scientific chemical tests
which must have detected if any food had
been taken. In short, it IS now given up
by all the doubters, not excepting DR.. Ham
mond himself, that the fast was bona fde.
And, we believe, now that he is no longe a
so-called fasting fool" the world generally
~rejoices that Tanner made the test, and
came off safely. Some profess to think no
practical good can come of 1t. But surely
anything that teaches US the power of hui
man will, the extent OF minds dominion over
matter, the capacity Of the human frame
when properly cared for and the falibility
of human conclusions flor medical science
fixed the limit of endurance at from eight TO
nine days)-ls a gain, a real result
Moreover, we think the Christian world
ought to welcome the event as an adjunctive
confederation of the first great fast of ''for-
ty days and nights'-which has been a
| by reference to the Bible that this fast is not
given as a supernatural event. Most per-
sons have always accepted it as such because
1t seemed absurd and preposterous to SUP
pose any human body could endure that
period. Tanner has removed the fact out
of the region of miracles and this, too, is
something gained though strange to say
we have seen no ~allusion to it in any of the
accounts of the fast. The following is the
telegraphic report, Aug. .
CDR. Tanner completed his fast at noon.
The crowd cheered enthusiastically. About
1000 persons were in the hall, and an i'm
mense crowd on the sidewalk. He at once
drank a glass of milk, and called for a Geor-
gia watermelon dug his hand into it., and
ate heartily. When demonstrated with, he
asked to be left alone, saying, "No, my
lord, | am running this now" When he
| placed a glass of milk to his mouth be re-
marked "Gentlemen, you don't believe
that's good"
The signal for the expiration of the fast
was a whistle from a factory IN the vicinity.
When it blew Tanner had a peach, but be-
fore he could put it to his mouth somebody
snatched it away. In response to plaudits
of the assemblage, Tanner, sitting upon a
chair on a table, raised his handkerchief over
his head. At a quarter past twelve, Tanner
got down and left the hall in charge of DR..
Gum, who took him to his own residence.
49, - Ill ,-lo~~o - ,,aI,on - troof
ment. During the morning about 1900
persons visited the hall. His temperature
was found to be 90, pulse 90 and respiration
Il; weight 1913 pounds, showing a loss o
thirty-six pounds during the forty days.
On leaving the hall, DR.. Tanner walked
unassisted down stairs, with a slice of melol
in his hand. He received an ovation from
the crowd in street, shops and windows, am
exhibited much qualification at the heart.
reception. He joked and talked with tn
crowd that surrounded the vehicle. Ate
two or three dozen persons had grasped hi
hand, the accompanying physicians had t
grasp him and hold him in his seat to pre-
vent him from firing himself out, as the
feared a serious reaction from the exertlon
On reaching the residence of DR.. Gum, Dl
Tanner at once lay down in the front parlo
and endeavored to sleep. The milk an
watermelon had not disagreed with him
At 2:3O o'clock he was resting quietly /
good condition. DIR. Jun himself is RI
ported i'll through over exertlon.
Later.-At 4:3O he was eating, with gres
5 relish, a piece of beef steak. He did ne
, swallow the fibre, but only the juice.
t was reported that he was in excellent spi
: it's
ALAMANCE.-Mr. Charlie Kerr, son oftf