The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-09-29
Tanners Fast Explained,
Letter Of Dr. o. B. Mayer, Jr., CT
Newberry, OF Tanners Forty Days Fast
He Lived en- Els Own Flesh.
SOartanburo Herald.

NEWBERRY, ;. e., Aug. u, 1891.
TO Mr.. I. SToBo FARROW.
My DEAR SIR : 10 reply to your
request concerning DR.. Tanners fast,
| write the following letter. pre-.
sunle you believe that DR.. Tanner did
actually fast Accepting that as a
fact, | shall endeavor to explain the
manner in which he was sustained
during his fast. I will write so free
from techuicalities that you can easily
appreciate what I write
1t is difficult mattcr to explain 70
one uot accustomed to thinking Of tae
physiology Of uau, the way in which
the vitality of the animal economy is
maintained.
I will divide man into'tHo parts
one vital portion, or one whose cou-
tinuous function is necessary to life
the other al accessory pHrt. As an
Illustration of the former, may men
ton circulation and respiration Of
the latter, digestion and secretion.
Now, as long Is sufficient nerve
power is contained in the nerve cen
ters and those orgaus which discharge
the functions necessary to the c'!n-
tinuance Of life possess vitality enough
to respond to this nervous force. life
must continue. Now, what is ne,
ccssary to keep the vitality of the
human system up to this standard :?
Each organ is composed Of cells, and
these cells keep up their physiological
standard by absorbing the necessary
materials from the blood as it circu-
lates through them. The source from
which the blood obtains its nutrit!ve
properties is, of course, from food.
There are two kinds of food that
enter the blood one called Carboni
ferrous, the other heterogeneous. The
first OF these keeps up the temperature
of the body. 1t is this kind Of lna-
terial that is stored up in tissues Of
animals which hibernate, and which
keeps up their temperature during
their period of hibcrnation. The other
kind Of food, the heterogeneous, is the
material which furnishes the cells of
the body and maintains them in the
discharge of their functions.
In DR.. Tanners case, after he had
tasted long enough to consume the
nutritive materials contained in his
blood, the blood commenced to absorb
from his own flesh the necessary
materials TO sustain his life. As the
weather was warm, it took very little
heat-producing {Carboniferous) ma
terial much less than it would if he
had tasted during cold weather; con-
sequently very little of his fat was
absorbed.
AS the parts of the body which dis
charge the functions necessary to life
were to be sustained, those tissues
which were composed of Nitrogenous
materials were absorbed in sufficient
amount to keep the body alive, and
until that available supply was ex.
hausted he would have continued to
live.
Now, concerning the water he drank.
1t was absolutely impossible for him
to have tasted as long as ne did with
out water. AS there is considerable
evaporation from the body going on
all the time, as we'll as q loss in many
other ways, very soon the auidity of
the blood would have ceased. It was
also necessary for the blood to have a
sufficient amount Of water to absorb
the nutritive materials from his flesh.
Water was absolutely necessary to the
success Of his fast.
Now you see how DR.. Tanner has
lived upon his own flesh; that be
really hibernated.
[ hope [ have succeeded IN gratlty
ing any curiosity or interest you may
have in this fast.
[ do not think it can be of any ben
eft to the medical profession. I look
upon it as only proving how long DR..
Tanner could live upon his flesh.
I am: very truly, yours,
0. B. MAYER, Jr., NJ. D.