The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-08
THE FASTING GIRL PROBLEM.
Facts howin That Science Il Wrong
When II Declares That One Must Eat
to Live.

Facts Showing That Science Il Wrong
when II Declares That One Must Eat
to Live.
The modern fasting girl Is the Oppro-
brium Of science. The latter insists
that she can not live without eating and
drinking. She as Stubbornly persists N
living without eating and drinking.
When DIR. Tanner made his experiment
science was staggered. but that little
episode was 4 tr!ilc to the feat of Kate
Smulscy, who is said to have lived thir-
teen months without eating. and most
of the time without drinking either. In
cases of this kind the. usual and much
the easiest method of explanation is by
fiat denial of the alleged facts. and tbs
is facilitated by making sundry import
art assumptions, ~ that sue and such
a thing j. opposed to natural laws and
therefore could not b.. Thus it is an
axiom Of medical science Tat life can
not be sustained beyond a few days
without alimentation. and certainly if
physiology alone is concerned in the
matter the soundncss of this view must
he admitted. 1t is true that there are 4
few wcil-atteStcd cases in which life
was sustained without the possibility Of
alimcntat.on. the most notable teing
that of the Indian fakir who va; wal cd
up in n vault ut Lahore. and who two
weeks aftcrward was disinicrred and
found ,alHe! In that ease. however.
waSasmin mum ofwaste of vitali-
tv. the subject being in "A trance. Kate
SmulSey WAS not e~ntranceI. and during
the greater part of her feat her body
was IN inccSSant motion. according 10
tine reports. 50 taat Their. must nave
been an abnormal expenditure Of vital
energy.
The physicians who attended her d.f-
frrcd widely a. To the nature OF her
complaint. but we believe they agreed
ina; she really did not eat or drink.
Her parents and friends maintain most
earnestly tha; deception in the case WAS
apostolic. This assertion VIII not pre-
vent contrary statements being mace.
but when there is a consensus of belief
in certain facts among a number of in
rcili-cnt and reputable people. and
when these have taken pains To sub
siantiatc their belief and ;oeNclude error,
il Is difficult To regard the usual denial
of the facts - m adequate explanation.
Ii the laws of physiology Were As fully
and m,nutcly understood rs might BE-
inferred from the dogmat IN OF men of
>~c.cncc. there would b. no excuse for
the ,ccming failures ~ medicine. The
,-... -, " -. 4.- II <
Kate Smul -cr. however. would Recess
state the admission of Psychologist
HYPOTHESIS in such case. since il is evil
dent ,nat physiology does no fun h
the solution OF them. Considering the
extent to which the stud, of mental
conditions. and Their influence upon
physical processes. i being carried Mt
present. moreover. the Broadening Of
Ia. scope of inquiry here suggested
should no: seem either inaimis>;Dl. or
irrational. In prac tic.. every successful
physician acts opol this vie =. ami there
can b. no sound therapeutic, witaout
recognition ut the int-ract.on OF mni
and body.
In the fasting girl cases the old-fa>h-
ioled AlcAandr.an fashion OF scvcr.ng
The Cord an knot is falling into d~i,iavor.
because il is iel; 10 he an eyaS on and
not a determination. la tn. e.;cc. the
indications are that some venerable the
cries regarding the conditions of vital
&C; on NAV have to be discarded. The
facts appear too stubborn 10 bc dealt
with u herwi>c than scent .ical,y. IN
>hor. i when this is realized i; Is
quite possible that medical >c.cncc NAV
iInd Itself upon the thrc,hs! III Of new
~ important diScoyeries.-N ]. Trit
ma.