Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-11
TO FAST FIFTY DAYS.
stefano MerIatti's Attempt and
Talk With Him.
Paris Dispaleh to Ia London p,il, NIX.

Fdrls DisDatch to the LoadOR DdiJy NeaUs,
The medical committee appointed to
watch over Stefano Merlatti, the new
fasting man, during the fifty days he in.
tends to remain without food, met on
Tuesday at the Voltaire offices. They
had pre- viOusly examined Merlatti. and
found him to be sound and in perfect
health, and decided to let him enter upon
his last without delay. He took his last
meal on Tuesday night before midnight,
and trusts TO be able to hold out until
Dec. 10 At midnight. Will Succi give up
his visit to Paris? Merlatti, &C.
cordlng to his previous story,
is likely to utterly Guido the
Mllanese faster. The new hero of the
DAY processes great disdain for Succi,
and speaks of the secret of the liquor in
the most contempJuOus terms. He is
staying at the Hotel des Etrangers, in
the Rue Tronchet, near the Madeleine,
where | have had an interview with him.
otefano Merlattl is young man OF -
years of age, or whereabouts. He is short
and perhaps on the whole slender, but
we'll knit and healthy looking. He
has swarthy complexion, jet black hair,
gHstenlng eyes, protruding cheek bones,
and prominent jaws. His physiognomy
shows much self-possession, and is ex-
Uremely mobile. Merlatti, who is an art
Ist, has just come from an eight months
stay in Italy. de began to train him self
In fasting at the age of IL. One day after
a severe tlogging from the priest who
Kept the village school, he ran away, but
fearing his fathers anger, he wandered
through the country for eleven days. All
that time be felt no need for food, but
passed the days birdnesting aud playing
with the shepherd bows, and only now
and then drank some water to quencn his
thirst. His capture by his parents put
an end to this singular mode OF living.
He had become thin, but was not other
wise inconye uienced. Since then, when
he was minded, he remained without food
for week or ten days, but he never
trained himself regularly before entering
the Turin Academy Of Fine Arts.
There, at the suggestion of his
fellow students. he underwent a
long preparatory course of fasting. He
was able to do without food for eighteen
days, during which he regularly attended
lectures and pastimes; but his best per-
torrance, he says, was in London, where
for small wager with brother artist he
undertook to remain thirty-six DAYS fast
ing. This feat took place last year, but
was kept private. During this last he lost
about % pounds OF flesh, being in other
respects in sound condition. AS regards
his new attempt, he told me that he would
not lay down his paint brush. He would
walk out as usual, 20 to the theatre, re-
ceive friends and smoke cigarettes with
them. His moral and nervous energies
would, he was confident, remain unim-
paired. About the fifth week he might
possibly be liable to moods of detection
aud an all but irresistible desire to eat at
dinner time. the action of the heart
should be watched by the doc
tors, as it will toward the
end become sluggish. Merlatti,
who weighs about 1870 pounds, reckons
that he will lose in flesh about 80 pounds.
The doctors say he might bear loss of 80
pounds. Hence he thinks he might pro-
tract the fast for twenty days, taking
nothing but pure or mineral water.
Throughout this experiment he will be in
charge of eight doctors. Every m0rnin z
he will be weighed. His muscular
strength Will be tested by dYnamOmeter.
The water he drinks will be measured.
In fact, everything that scientific inge-
nuity can devise will be used TO ascertain
the phases of his fast. Merlatti is allowed
to remain ia his own room under the ey e
OF one of the eight members of the COM
mittee of surveillance. This arrangement
appears to me unsatis factory, inasmuch
as it relies exclusively upon Merlstti
and his warder. | asked him whether he
had made any bets on his success. He
said he had not. He simply wished to
show what extraordinary powers a
trained stomach could acquire. He did
not want any money. Iasked him whether
he contemplated repeating his expert
ment In London. He could not say. All
would depend on the issue of this expert
ment and the advice Of the committee.
| only give this conversation as an in
stance of Merlattis wonderful buoyancy
of spirits. We might have long continued
chatting in the same strain, only at this
moment a member of the committee of
surveillance came in to relieve the out
going doctor, 80 l took my leave. Merlatti
accompanying me to the door.