The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-09-23
Cure for Rheumatism.
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. %, so.

GALL AAhE N411S OSPhs 80 SOs
Editors Herald:
Cures, empirical and scientific, fer
rheumatism, toolhache, and some
other Affections, are numerous as
fallen leaves in autumn. Everybody
knows OF specific, and is not any in
recommending it. The Tonder Is
that any rheumatism or toothacne or
any such grievous thing is lett in the |
land. One of the last cures comes
from DR.. Tanner, the fast man. He
is reported as saying that ten days
fast is the very thing to take the |
rheumatism out of fellow. Possibly |
it is, and possibly it would take some |
other things out ola fellow. 1t 6ould |
take most of the vitality o1s of many
people, all their EuAvity, and as much
pride as they would be willing to lose |
in that space OF time. 1t would also
put something into them. 1t would
put into them the gnawing devil OF
extreme hunger. which most people
would think worse than the gna wings
Of chronic rheumatism or the
twinges Of jumping tCothache. The
aches and pains and fierce cravings OF
the empty stomach In a ten days
fast would be harder for some people
to encounter than even inAAmmatory
rheumatism, and there need be moth
ing worse than that. So that the
general opinion will be that the
Tanner cure would be Torse than the
disease.
Another thing. It may be that
some sorts OF rheumatism come
through the stomach, such as that
which is called rheumatic govt. But
do all ssrts come that Tay7 Doubt
full. Will all kinds 60 out with long
fasting? Doubtful. Some kinds OF
rheumatism are believed to be dis
tinctly t.aceable to external cold, and
are excellent weather prophets, be
cause OF their great ssnsibility to
atmospheric changes. With many
people an aching foot or leg or arm
is a sure indication OF a coming
storm. Does that sort OF rheumatism
come through the stomach? Will
that kind go out with fasting? A
man goes out and gets his feet wet.
He goes in and sits for a time in his
wet stockings and shoes. He does
ali this more than once. His feet get
coli and by and By he has aches and
shootings OF rheumatism in his loot,
ankle, leg and other joints. His feet
get into the way Of feeling cold 10 a
higher temperature than ths rest:of
his body will. Does ell that come
through the stomach? Hardly. Will
it all 60 out with long fasting? Hardly.
For ouch rheumatism the general
idea is that the patient needs stimu-
lants to the parts affected, az well as
internally, rather than depressants;
that be needs applications rather than
withholdings. Consequently. the
fasting cure would be out Of place.
Fasting for a short time, no
doutt, would be beneficial to scme
people in some oondiiions-people
vine are very liberal eaters, and
would be economical as we'll al
heslthful. But i. is doubtful whether
long fas;s would be beneficial ID the
generality OF people, and it is certain
that such fasts are not economical.
The man who tasts ten days must be
idle and unproductiye most of that
sime, as well as for some time after,
and he may need nursing and per-
haps watching. 1t ia no use to think
a man can work if he don't eat. The
Bible sensibly says those who wont
work are the proper persons to I'M
dertake fasts. Long iasts are par
ticulaIly appropriate for such people,
but not for those who have to work.
Then, sgsin, alter fast, as DR.. Tan
ner has amply proved in his own
case, comes a feast, and long feast
after a long fast, in which long feast
the food saved in the long fast is con-
sumed, and more too, tor nature de-
mands this compensation, and will
not be defrauded with impunity.
Even DR.. Tanner, with all his tre-
mendous will power, let nature have
its fling after his long fast. Then
with the after fessting would not the
rheumatism come bacz again through
the stomach, and perhaps, like the
expelled devil. in returning bring
with it seven other devils, and not of
an improved breed? So that the lat
ter end OF that man would be worse
than the first, ard his fasting cure
would be notable failure. In this
view of the matter, the probability is
that the fasting cure for rheumatism
will never become popular, and con-
sequently am inclined to ask in re-
gard to it, Cur Bono?