The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-08-18
Dr. Tanners Sensations.
New York Sun, 9TH.


While DR.. Tanner was masticating
a beefsteak last evening at the resi-
dence Of DR.. Guam, he was asked by a
visitor what his sensations we're dur
ing his fast
Il suffered most," he said, 'from
deprivation of air. It is difficult to
describe how [ felt. But lack of pure
air seemed to have distressing effect
on the gastric nerve. Ny sensations
seemed to centre in my stomach, but
it was not apparently longing for
food. I could control my stomach to
that extent by my will. I suffered
at the stomach from sense of weak
ness and depression there which I
cannot make you understand very we'll
with words. When I held the peeled
peach in my hands few minutes be
fore noon yesterday longed to set my
teeth in it, but probably with 30
greater intensity than you have often
Iouged for delicious morsel when
you have tasted an hour or two longer
than the ordinary interval between
meals. I suffered most at the first part
of the fast. I depended on good, pure
air. It cost me six dollars day for
air. That is what I had to pay for my
carriage rides. My experience in this
fast was much the same that it was in
nv former fast, except that in this
case I suffered more from lack of
sleep, which was caused by dis
bance. Some of my watchers %~.e
very noisy.
II have been asked if dreamed OF
feast" DR.. Tanner continued, ''as it
is reported that starving men usually
do. The fact was that I did not
dream at all, because I had no sound
sleep. There was too much noise and
excitement. [ was sorry for that, be-
cause I hoped to be able to make a
psychological study of myself. Ny
sleep was such that I had little oppor-
tunity for dreams. In my waking
hours l would not allow my thoughts
to run on fessting.''
1t was suggested to him by caller
that Lieut.. Truxton Trains exploring
party on the Isthmus of Panama call
ed for sugar on their rescue, after they
had been reduced to the last extremity
Dy starvation, and that he had selected
sweet fruit.
Il had no special reason for the
selection of watermelon," said DR..
Tanner, with which to break my
fast, except that [ found it so deli
cious when I broke my former fast.
I don't know that I had any particu-
lar longing for sweetness"
'How have you felt since the fast
was broken ?" be was asked.
Il feel" be answered, s'as if feve1y
vein and artery was filing up. "It is
like coming into new life-a new
birth. To-day I can stand up straight
for the first time It was said duriDg
the fast that my height had decreased,
and there was a great deal of non
sense talked about the absorption Of
the cartilages between the vertebr@ of
my backbone. I appeared to grow
shorter because I gradually bent over,
through emptiness and weakness, and
because when I was measured in the
course Of the fast wore slippers in
stead of the shoes in which stood
when was first measured"
To question as to what be was
going to do when he had fully re.
gained his strength, he replied that he
had not allowed himself to think about
that matter. He had an offer, he
said, of s2,7O0 to deliver ten lectures
on the Pacific slope, and he had
thought some of accepting it, but at
present everything was uncertain. The
pecuniary receipts at Clarendon Hall,
he said, would net him very incon-
siderable sum. Precisely how much
he did not yet know. Tomorrow be
will walk out for exercise and attend
to some business. In the evening, at
the Invitation of Mr.. Judsou Sausse,
lessee of the American Institute Rink,
Sixty-third street and Third avenue,
he will attend the festival of the Man
haitian Elevated Railway Athletic
Clubs festival held there.