The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-07-24
DOCTOR TANNER.
TWENTY-sIxTH DAY OF HIS FAST.
Ill IL I'm Improved Coz ditiOn and Spir.
its and is Indignant at the Reports
About Him Being in a Failing
Condition - offered 500
Week 10 complete His
Fast i'm Theatre
Particulars OF His
Other Fast of For.
ty-twO Days.

New York, July 23.-Dr. Tanners fast
yesterday remained unbroken. Despite the
drzzing rain and the muggy weather he was
fresher than he had been from the start He
did not tske.hs usual evening ride, but re-
manned in the hall, conversing with his at
tendants and taking short maps. He retired
at 10 o'clock. Examination by physicians
showed the following results Pulse r.,
temperature,79 o; respiration, l6, and weight
1919.
HIS CONDITION YESTERDAY.
DR.. Tanner at noon commenced the twen-
ty-sixth day of his fast, in improved con-
dition and spirits. He says that, after the dis
tresses in his stomache and hereafter, he will
drink less, although he has taken a pint
since midnight. He expressed indignation
at the reports about him being in failing
condition, and declares he was never more
confident ofsuccess than now. The manager
Of the New York Lyceum this morning of
fered him 500 per week to complete his fast
at his theatre
THE DOCTORS FIRST FAST OF FoRTY-Two
DAYS.
DR.. Tanners first fast was made in
July and August, 1877. The fast was CON-
menced July 16, 1877, at noon Of which day
the last full meal was taken, though upon the
succeeding two days he drank three pints OF
milk, that being the last nourishment which
passed his stomach, excepting one baked APP
pie, till August 20, just six weeks afterward.
The change in his mode of living first in
duced a low gastric fever, apparently, which
came on when he had tasted some two
weeks, and lasted ten days, during the most
of which time he occupied loung. in DR..
Movers room. He then began a rapid re-
covery, h. wing had nothing upon his stom-
ach except water to allay his thirst AS he
convalesced his eyes and countenance bright
ened, and his strength returned to the extent
that his gait was steadier, his step tirmer, and
he resumed his accustomed walks, which
were taken twice day, and we're from one
to three miles in extent. DR.. Meyer, who
was his attendant physician then, says: SIN
the meantime had frequently demonstrated
with him in pursuing a course which |
deemed little less than suicide, but he held
stubbornly to his text, refusing
promptly and decidedly to take any
nutriment till such time as he con.
sidered his stomach in condition TO receive it,,
and / confess the result WAS to me somewhat
astonishing" His appetite, however, re-
turned, and his stomach was apparently in
proper order, so that he ordered some light
edibes, but upon further consideration he
determined to persist in his course to the
furthest extent possible, being influenced by
his success up to that time, in forming his
resolve, and by his theory which he held,
that the atmosphere embodied nutritious eIe-
ments that under proper conditions would
sustain the system indefinitely without food
from the usual source. During
the remaining four weeks DIR. Meyer
regarded the experiment with much interest,
the custom of the "fastis" being to arise at G
in the morning, dress, read perhaps an hour
and repair to a somewhat distant spring with
his cane and glass, and return after drinking
sufficiently of the water, the walk being of
some three or four miles, and repeated in the
evening. Frequent examinations of DR.. Tan
ner at this time, showed the BODILY temper
AZURE normal, skin somewhat harsh and dry,
tongue slightly furred, bad health, pulse nor
NAL in frequency, cardiac impulse weak, be-
coming toward the close of the experiment 80
much so that it was difficult to detect the
pulse at the wrist, voice rather weak, clear
mind" but not having ability to
apply the mental energies to
study Of much effort, "urine
rather less than usual in quantity, light
colored, tupbid, specific gravity l,02, deposit
| ing an abundant whitish sediment consisting
mostly of earthly phosphates." There was
no passage of the bowels from July Is, the
day before the attack of gastritis, till August
81, forty-seven days. Toward the close the
abdominal particles became collapsed, draw
ing the shoulders forward and giving bent
attitude to the body, as if from extreme age.
The only annoyance complained of was a
disagreeable constructing sensation in the
epigastrium, which was not relieved by swal-
lowing small bits of rice. DR.. Tanners loco
motive powers held good, and toward the
end he walked nine or ten miles daily, without
experiencing particular fatigue. The thirty
eighth day of his fast an attack of gas.
tritis was brought on by too frequent
draughts Of cold water, producing retching,
straining, and tendency to hccough. Al
the urgent request of DR.. Meyer, the expert
mentist partook of milk, which was immedi.
ately rejected from the stomach, in order to
allay the gastric irritation. The stomach re.
tanned food the evening of the forty-second
day, and The fast was complete, though DR..
Tanner held himself to blame for the attack
of gsstritis, and claimed that otherwise he
codld have continued two weeks longer with
out serious results. The return of his appe.
tlte brought on extreme voracity, and to sati
ate his nearly uneppeasable appetite the fast.
ing expert consumed, without feelings o.
flllness or repletion, pint OF milk, two big
apples, five California pears and half of q
large watermelon. He afterward ate larger
amount of food at a meal, and experienced
no discomfort.
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