The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-04-16
A PRIMITIVE man.
ERNEST W. DARLING, SON OF
A PORTLAND PHYSICIAN,
STARTS NEW CULT IN
HEALING.

Ground Four Feet by
Seven and Two
Feet Deep.
Portland, April 12.-The Journ-
al says: A son of a Portland ply
sician has created a sensation in the
scientific world by the startling and
novel method of living which he
has adopted, and which he advises
all to adopt who desire perfect
health and rugged constitution.
He advocates a return to the primi-
tive way of living by discarding
clothing.
Ernest W. Darling, a son of DR..
J. W. Darling of this city, is the
man who advocates the return to
the ways primeval. Until a year
ago he lived in Portland, but was
compelled to seek a SUMMER cline
on account of his health. For the
past year he has lived on the sum-
NIT Of a hill on the outskirts of Los
Angeles, Cal. He does not occupy
house, nor even a tent. The sole
habitation of which he can boast,
is bed that consists of hole in
the ground of about four by seven
feet and two feet in depth. In that
peculiar place, wrapped in blank
cts, ne seeks rest. He is an ardent
lover and studies the works of nature
and believes that by his meth.
Cd of living he is able to commune
more closely with its invisible forms
and at the same time build up his
constitution, which was shattered
by disease.
"Good health is the first requisite
for religion, or anything else," be
says, when questioned concerning
his novel ideas. 81 firmly believe
that if we take perfect care of our
health, avoiding all accident or dis
ease, we shall live etsrnally in these
bodies of ours. Every person should
learn gradually to live out doors
and TO live on natural food-that
is, food just as it comes from the
hand of nature. Personally, I pre-
fer the fruit Of the tropics-bana-
mas, perslmmons, fgs, dates-which
have been proved to give as great
strength and endurance as does any
mixed diet.
The objects in living on natural
food are:
"First-To make US more natur.
al in thought AID in action.
'Second-From an economical
standpoint, it is far cheaper where
these fruits grow. 1t is well koown
by travellers in the tropics th at we
can live On one dollar a mouth, or
less.
"rhird-There is very decided
humanitarian issue in this diet. No
animal has to suffer imprisonment
and final slaughter 10 order to feed
the fruitalian. The fruitar:an will
take his meal from the tree and eat
the meal that was cooked by God
himself"
Mr.. Darling has evidently found
these results in his mode of life, for
he has built himself up wonderful.
ly. When he left Portland a year
age he weighed 80 pounds, while
now he weighs in the neighborhood
of 175 pounds. 1t was done w tn
out drop of medicine. 1t was
while student at Leland Stanford
Jr., university that the desire to
get nearer to natures heart
came upon him, and he secluded
himself.
He rises at daylight, takes q
quick, cold shower bath, then runs
half mile or so, throwing off SUI
perfuous clothing. Then he goes
through series of calesthenic exer
cises before eating breakfast, of fruit
He declares that be eats regularly
three times each day and always
has a good appetite.
; Mr.. Darling left his home neal
Los Angeles last week. He sailed
for Honolulu where he will reside fol
time before making trip to ths
; Samoan Islands. Before being com
PEELED to leave Portland be was con
fined in hospital for a time. L
Is said that he is rapidly regainins
: bis health.