Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-08-09
ALAsAMNs HUMAN WONDER.
Hungry Thfr.tv mr. sfeenv

hungry, Ihirsty or sleepy.
DO you see that nianT' said a well
known physician TO- reporter. at the
same time pointing out Mr. S. W.
Behrlnan, who Is engaged at tr. T. f.
Leaks undertaking establishment. The
reporter looked at the gentleman in
dicated, and asked his questioner what
there was peculiar about him. The
physician replied that Nr. Behrrnan
was phenomenon, and had very in
teresting history; that he was a man to
whom water was not a necessity
Hearing this, the reporter called on
Mr.. Behrinan, and. finding out that
the information was correct, obtained
the following interesting interview with
! him.
Il was born in Riga, which Is the
capital Of Liefiane, political division
of Russia, corresponding 70 the states
Of this country. | reached America in
1912, and settled permanently IN Texas.
residing at differents points for eighteen
years. When the war broke out |
joined the Third Louisiana regiment,
and served as a Confederate soldier un-
til was wounded and captured at the
battle Of Iuka- Mis- was kept 4
I prisoner of war for several months and
was paroled, after which | returned to
New Orleans, where | was when the
war closed | came to this city in 1877.
and have resided here the greater por-
ton Of the time since that year.
/ As to my peculiarly ON the subject
OF eating and drinking. can say that
never experienced the sensation Of
being hungry, thirsty or sleepy When
/ | eat, which is at the oftenest only
once a day, it is to sustain life and
not to appease the craving of an appe-
( tite. Ny daily meal consists of little
I thin soup and a small piece Of puInper-
/ nickel bread-a bread made Of rye.
ground up with bran No boiling at
all This bread get from Indiana
have frequently gone without tasting
food Of any kind whatever for from
eight to sixteen days
1t Is the same with sleep. am never
! sleepy, and when do lie down it Is not
( because | must sleep. bat because
must pass the time away. cannot say
/ how long a period of time | have gone
7 without sleep in this city. but | rernem-
Der that once went for seven months.
in which | did not sleep altogether one
hour
Now on the subject Of drinking
| L-r g. e.
have not taken a glass of water. and
that never in my life did | have a de-
sire to take drink as you do never
drink water except to take it with med
icine, and that is the only way have
ever taken it In the last forty or forty
/ one years
When | was in the army men al
around me On the march painted fol-
( water and complained that they were
unable to keep up because of hunger
or thirst, or both but plodded along
without experiencing inconvenience
| from either. | remember when We
evacuated Tupelo. Miss, the troops
[ had hard march and there was much
/ suffering from thirst Ny command
halted short time on the roadside.
near place where there was a well
The soldiers broke for the well like
madmen. while stood by fence lean
ing on my gun Gen. Fifer. who com
manded the corps, rode up and called
out Behrman, why don't you 90 to
the well and get waterF replied that
| was not thirsty. that | never drank
water. and he was astonished; and dur
ing the whole war the only thing that
ever craved was cigarettes
Il have never enjoyed good health
in my life, and though | have consult
ed many physicians in this country and
in the old country, have never found
one who could tell me what was the
matter with me or who could afford me
relief When | die | want DIS. Gas
ton, Blue and Seelye and other phySi-
clans they may desire 10 invite to make
an examination OF my body, my heart,
liver and brain particularly. to find out
what arrangement OF the system pro-
duced the conditions which have ex-
isted all my life, that humanity may be
benefited by their Investigations
have already selected my coffin, and
when the end comes l want 70 be laid
away peacefully and quietly"
j Mr.. Behrlnan does not appear to be
unhealthy. He IS stoutly built and
weighs now about leo pounds, though
he says he has al times weighed as
much as 176 pounds He has fair
education, the foundation for which
was laid in the old country. He speaks
four languages Russian. French, Ger
man and English He IS great news
/ paper reader, and keeps thoroughly in
formed upon current affairs in Europe
as well as in this country.-4ontgom-
Z arv s Ia \ Journal