New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-20
So NNK STCCrN LIST

Signor Succi has finished his fast Of thirty
days and in such good condition that accord
ING To the accounts he has shown no diminu-
ton Of vigor This fast has been conducted
under thorough test conditions. Eminent ply
sicans have relieved one another in yigilantly
Observing every action Of The cXpCrimcntcr,
and have assured themselves that during the
entire period he has taken nothing but ,hc
small dose of his mysterious herb elixir which
he relies upon, and little Nlchy and Hunyadi
Ylnos mineral water. During the first few
days of his fast he renamed in led, perhaps
| finding 'tatc of quicsccnce the most con-
venicnt wherein to pass the first and prob
ably the most unpleasant stages Of the starya-
non process. After this he rose, and rode en-
horscbach bathcd lin one instance remaining
nearly an hour in the water and swimming
powerfully, and took quite long walks
Throughout he seems TO have slept well, ami
his mind was not affected at ali.
This fast was undertaken to prove The vut-
ucs Of his African harb liquor, which he claims
to lie the most powerful nutrimcnt discovered,
and 4 small quantity Of which he asserts will
render other food unnecessary for long peri
DDS. The experiment he has now successfully
competed would, however, lie more conyinc-
ing were it possible % determine how much of
S.gnor Snccis endurance should he credited
to the strength Of his constitution, and how
much 10 the elixir. Dr. Tanner tasted ten
days longer than he has done, not, it is true,
without falling into great fccblencss, but vet
without suffering any serious after effects
That fact NAV tc held 10 prove that Il long
fast is possible without the aid of any elixir,
and to the extent that it is possible the virtue
Of Signor Succis liquor must Ieman an I'M
known quantity. TO demonstrate the genuine
ness Of the claim advanced for the African
herb extract he ought, in fact, first 10
have tasted as l.ng as Dr. Tanner
did, in order TO get rid of the factor
Of mere physical endurance and then to have
Lcgun taking his elixir, and supporting him
sell on that alone, at the point where Tanner
left off.
Ii may indeed lc said that the fact of his
retaining bis physical strength unimpalcd at
the close Of a thirty days complete Austen
ton from food demonstrates The sustaining force
Of his panacca, and within the limits indicated
above tins Is true. The general conclusion %
ic derived from all the facts is that SgnOr
oucci hu, discovered or procured drug or
plant, or mixture Of drugs or plants, which
operates very much in the same way rs the
mate plant used 10y the natives OF South AmcIi- |
ga To enable hem to go without solid food
during long periods. The presumption is that
The herb elixir acts rather 10y arresiing con-
sumption and w;S,e than by supplying tho
assimllatlye organs with material Of any kind. !
ihis Is borne out by the circ umstancc tia,
cnaclailon accompanied Sgnor Succl's fasl,
though II was not so rapid, nor did it go to |
the same extent as would probably have been
the case had no check been put upon com
luition. Such an elixir might have various |
uses, though hardly the social and universal |
ones said TO tic claimed for it by the owner. |
The whole case. however, is interesting, and |