Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-07-09
DIR. TANNER
Enters Upon the Second Week OF
His Forty Days Fast.


DR.. Tanner is an Englishman, hav-
ing come TO this country at the age Of
seventeen. He is now forty nine years
of age His home has been chiefly IN
Ohio and Minnesota. His last long
fast was in 1877, at Minneapolis,
Mimi, in the two months Of July and
August, and continued forty-two days.
When asked about 3 pm. yesterday
how he was feeling, he said:
II feel irst-rate, and am not at all
discouraged. If they only give me
half a chance | will come out ahead.
| could get along much more comfort
ably with an easy bed and chair, but /
do not insist upon luxuries or even
ordinary comforts, in order to con
vince my watchers that | am acting in
perfect honesty. Thus it is that |
have everything as simple as possible"
DO you think hat your cOnstitu-
ton is peculiarly adapted to resist the
effects of fasting?" was asked.
mo, | do not. Anyone with strong
will power, who understands himself
and is temperate, can do it. My sue.
cess is owing to a thorough knowledge
Of myself / have always lived in
strict obedience TO the laws Of nature
as nearly ae possible"
do you net feel pain in your stom
ach, or intense craving for food?"
mot at all. | feel no morbid de-.
sire or craving for food more than at
any time between meals when l am
not fasting"
Notwithstanding that a notice is
posted on the outer door Of the hall
prohibiting admission except to ply
sicians and members Of the press,
spectators come and 20 throughout
the day, the number Of visitors at any
one time varying from twenty to forty.
Among the physicians who called
yesterday we're Drs. Alexander vii.
der, II. A Gum and David Wells.
1T is remarkable said DR.. Dan
ielson, "how many peiSons come in 10
sec DR.. Tanner who have been through
some form Of endurance. Among
them are long distance walkers, men
who have gone without sleep, fasters
and others. A man who was in Libby
prison at the time ofthe rebellion was
mere this morning. Ho escaped from
the prison after having lost twenty
two pounds by fasting and fatigue, and
has never recovered. But there il a
striking difference between his ease
and that OF DR.. Tanner. The former
was laboring under n severe mental
strain, by which his system was
wrecked but with DR.. Tanner there
is no mental strain. He IL able Ia
concentrate all the elements Of vital
) ity. Sunday morning, however, his
pulse was one hundred and thirty
and thought he must give up. Bni
he has a powerful will. His face /,
remarkable for 6rmness and will,
power, A singular fact Is that h,
docs not use the word hunger. II,
speaks OF CONSTRUCTION of the st0m
ach' and ! fancy hat this Is villa
causes him 10 lie down no often. II,
has already lost fourteen pounds. buI
I he should not lose over one pound
day, Abstaining from water, however
causes him 10 lose heah more rapidly
lie claims that his abstaining from
, water h not in the agreement, an,
that if this sholld appear 10 mdioatl
n cause of failure, he will begin d
drink II again. He also claims m.
y privilege Of riding out il he desires b
i do s0,
!. Whom DR.. Wilder entered the hal
d Dr. Tanner arose quickly, and extend
ing his hand, said, %" must shak
hands with you whether they will Ii
me or not" In his handshaking wer
a no signs Of weakness. Striking wit
n bis foot q part Of the railing n0tstronl
/ ~ nailed TO the floor, he said 10 on
a ofthe watchers, Don't you think
could pull that up and, with atwir
a kle IN his eye, he stopped down as
e 10 make tho attempt, Yes, yes,
hastily answered the watcher, learin
d that he would thus uselessly eXhau.