The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-06-17
DR.. TANNERS FAST SURPASSED.
DR.. W. Sterling Wilkinson, of Au-
gusta, Has Tasted 43 Days.

LIT. w. SGef1InS WllklQSOQ, a Well
known young physician of this city,
and an honor graduate of the medical
department Of the University of
Georgia, is on a fast that promises to
break the worlds record for length.
DR.. Tanners record is already dis
counted.
Yesterday was the forty ty-third day
that DR.. Wilkinson has taken nothing
in the way of nourishment, limiting
himself exclusively to water. He has
partaken of water freely during the
fast.
Throughout the fast he had suffered
no inconvenience although he has lost
weight very rapidly. Naturally a man
of slight build, although tall, he is
now living shadow of his former self.
DR.. Wilkinson resides with his father,
Mr.. VIM. M. Wilkinson, at AT Second
street, and throughout the fast has
confined himself to the home and its
grounds.
DR.. Wilkinson takes daily exercise,
including walks about the house and
grodnds, and is also using a pair Of
light dunlb-bells. He declares that
he feels strong all the time, although
any exertion ne undergoes proves to
him that he is quite weak. His
stomach is giving him no trouble
whatever.
DR.. Wilkinson and his family have
kept very quiet about the matter, and
only few intimate friends have been
advised of the treatment to which the
young man has been subjecting him
self for the past month or more. Only
in the last day or two has the doc
tors Fast become general property in a
news sense and reached the ears Of
newspaper men.''
The fasting Of DR.. Wilkinson is in
the nature of scientific treatment for
an aggravated case of indigestion Or
dyspepsia, with which he is afflicted.
For years he has had the trouble and
failing to get relief from all other
treatments, adopted the fasting treat
ment.
Recently fasting has been advocated
for the cure of digestive arrangements,
and where tried has been highly re-
commended It is claimed by the ad-
vocates of the method that it produces
permanent cures in nearly every in
stance, and that where it fails, it is
because the treatment was not persist
ed in long enough. The theory is that
the perfect rest afforded by the fasting
practically gives the patient a new
stomach or digestive organs. While
the organ is not at work it is claimed
that nature repairs all the damage to
the organ from overwork and past
abuses.
It is understood that the treatment
is nothing more or less than an extend
ed use of the advice of the Physical
Culturist McFadden, of New York,
who recommends that whenever there
is stomach trouble that his pupils
fast for a few days, in order to effect a
cure. Dr.. Wilkinson believes that
the theory of fasting for stomach
trouble is the correct one, and he is
demonstrating its usefulness.
DR.. Wilkinson has not yet completed
the fast. It is his intention to con-
tinue the treatment until his appetite
returns, when he will gradually return
to a normal diet. The return of the
appetite is said to be an indication
that the cure is complete. OF course
the appetite must be normal, and must
be constantly with the patient. That
is, it must not be of the kind that
comes and goes, but the desire for
nourishment must be continuous.
DR.. Wilkinson has already at times
felt the return of his appetite but as
yet does not think that it is constant
and normal. He believes that the next
few days will see the return of his
normal appetite and a complete cure
of his trouble
# the experiment proves successful,
and DR.. Wilkinson has no doubt in his
| mind that it will. it will be valuable
addition to the medical knowledge of
the profession. Thousands are suffer
ers from arrangements of the digestive
organs and would gladly undergo sea-
son of fasting if they knew it would
afford them relief and a permanent
| cure. DR.. Wilkinson in no way de-
sires notoriety as faster and is not
refraining from eating in order to
make a record along this line. It
was his desire that nothing be said
about the treatment he is undergoing
until it is completed and the degree of
success could be definitely reported.
Augusta Chronicle, June 10.